For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in both 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 bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face 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 framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be overlooked – 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 cover for the hurt 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 injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, 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 people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
