For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status remained secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move 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 demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – 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 Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite 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 coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
