In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was 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 summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked 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 trained like a man possessed. 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 over. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition 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 player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be overlooked – 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 cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team behind 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 made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the past or what is going on in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at creating an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much 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 sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
