For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust 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 going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. 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 forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the past or what is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
