In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next 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 away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as composed as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled 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 forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious 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 fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at fostering an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
