In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available 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.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Unity
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or what is going on in the season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic role at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into 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 expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says 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 whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
