In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling 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, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something 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 late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. 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 group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I love immensely being here and I know the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
