In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact 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 transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained 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 around. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play 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 remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited 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 withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support 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 focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
