In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut 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 second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as possible. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked 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 worked like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations 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 former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently 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. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity 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 teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
