In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure after Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought 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.
The manager selected 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 against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, 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 joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning 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 available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Unity
His decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I am sure the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for 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 positive and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
