For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. 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 ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Unity
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
