For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact following the caretaker coach’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 Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp 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 historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the moment, as composed as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned 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 worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something 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 late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
