For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was what he always does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in each and was especially impressive 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 empowering them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling 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, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding 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.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What should 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 cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost 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 OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation squad 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 “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
