In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status remained secure after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer 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. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. 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 each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the focus – 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 play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of support 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 available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up 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, despite the former now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing 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 isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
