For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status remained intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in each and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly 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 show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one 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 less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be 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 surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation 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 team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. 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 consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
