For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact following 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 approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as possible. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague 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, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or what is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
