In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches 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 difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered 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 OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or what is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to truly buy into that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, 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 last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means 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, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
