In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as composed as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – 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 going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled 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 serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a footnote.
That which should not be overlooked – 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 injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability 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 initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. 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 futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
