In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained secure after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought 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 promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next 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 on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented 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 worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What 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 replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation squad 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 “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What 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 path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
