For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. 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 following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Unity
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – 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 team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired 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 question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into 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 supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
