In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, 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 important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate 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 promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable 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 suffered an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed 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 worked like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability 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 done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not 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.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
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 injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially 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 supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants 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 thrillers. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
