For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at 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 play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, 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 trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works 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 done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each 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 forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Unity
His decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team 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 turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
