In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won 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 trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going 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 support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – 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.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Unity
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the past or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal 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 opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, 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 improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
