In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against 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 over. The 25-year-old started in each and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each 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 more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague 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 much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to truly buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
