In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact after 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 sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited 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 forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – 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 surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their so-called golden generation 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 “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
