For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure after Lee Carsley’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 transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, 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 planned 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 gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going 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, quite, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Unity
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be 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 surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
