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 key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition 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 support in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – 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 less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – 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 lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic role at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
