In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
