In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next 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 versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer 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 hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – 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 less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Unity
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I know the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
