In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status remained 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 manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … 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 typically does – remain completely in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned 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 trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in each and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one 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.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place 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 group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team behind 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 believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I love immensely being here and I know the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
