In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender 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 promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus 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 camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was especially impressive 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 supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not only 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 face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration 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 kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led 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 does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
