In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
