In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure after 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 manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What 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 dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was 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 question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly embrace that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
