In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his standing remained secure after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought 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 selected 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 matches versus Andorra away 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 natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition 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 squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you put that behind. You come here, these are your closest allies, 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, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
