In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware 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 won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one 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 forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent 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 does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation team 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 isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or what is going on in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
