In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled 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 important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the starting XI 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 next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Unity
His choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the team behind 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 effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
