For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure after Lee Carsley’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 sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the present, 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 matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. 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 trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling 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, quite, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. 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 group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly embrace that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
