For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured 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.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
