In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
The manager started 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 against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as composed 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 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 worked like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly 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 player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. 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.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – 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 surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I love so much being here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
