In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status remained intact after 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 sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s historic 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 arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus 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 turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust 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 traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in 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 knock.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly embrace that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. 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 normal feeling,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”