🔗 Share this article

In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.

Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.

The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.

“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”

The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain completely in the present, as composed as possible. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed 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 hard not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.

The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to display what we can do.”

Faith as the Central Idea

Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.

It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit 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 more minor one.

Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity

His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.

What should not be ignored – 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 cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.

Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.

Creating a Brotherhood

It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.

“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.

“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”

Future Focus

That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road 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 final words go to Guéhi.

“In my case, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.

“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”