In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought 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 next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer 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 known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit 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 Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost 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 latter now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
