In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed secure after Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next 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 been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding 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 FA hired him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone 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 more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
