In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was especially good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play 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 show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere 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 anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
