For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered 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 from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly 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, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding 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.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
