For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches versus 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 almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches 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 over. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each 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 obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What 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 side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden 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 get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the intensity they displayed 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 picked in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
