🔗 Share this article

In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.

Then came the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom 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 wasn’t promising.

The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.

“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”

What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.

The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.

The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”

Faith as the Central Idea

Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly 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 last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each 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 withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.

Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics

His decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.

What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.

Here is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, 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 positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.

Building a Brotherhood

It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.

“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or what is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.

“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”

Future Focus

That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.

“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.

“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”