In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park 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 the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported 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 camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit 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 less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit 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 last-minute addition 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 former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the team behind 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 camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive 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 great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I know the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, 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 teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
