In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his standing stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a footnote.
What should not be ignored – 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 hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the team supporting 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 camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided 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 get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I am sure the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
