For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate 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 uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which 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 man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – 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 face Latvia in their sixth 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. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be ignored – 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 surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
