🔗 Share this article

In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.

Enter the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.

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

“I’d say it’s normal for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”

The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic 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 matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.

The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”

Faith as the Theme

Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister 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 player choices.

It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.

The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity

Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.

That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.

Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.

Building a Brotherhood

Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.

“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.

“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”

Looking Ahead

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

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

“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”