🔗 Share this article

For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.

Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.

The manager 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 fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.

“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”

The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.

The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.

The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”

Faith as the Central Idea

Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie 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 last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.

Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics

His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.

What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place 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 fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.

This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.

Creating a Strong Unit

It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.

“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.

“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the others of the players do, too.”

Future Focus

What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.

“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.

“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”