For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought 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 promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from 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?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games 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 difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed 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 traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – 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 less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he forges connections. 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 debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with good 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 much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
