In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him 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 versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody 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 won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child 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 next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited 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 obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt 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 latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
