In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure 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 transfer from Chelsea 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, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
Tuchel 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 included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected 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 empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier 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 previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. 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.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Unity
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a footnote.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively 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.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so 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 finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
