In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed secure after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came 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 summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in each and was especially good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier 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 previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite 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 manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, 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, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to truly buy into that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
