For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which should not be overlooked – 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 injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the message he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
