In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept 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 great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, 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’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented 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. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – 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.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which should 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 injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered 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 latter now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
