In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park defender 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.
Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI 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 following game, against 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 facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – 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 traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Unity
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview 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 question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to truly buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
