In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available 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 more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a something of a footnote.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was 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 talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
