For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in 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 natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer 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 man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in each and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play 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 camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something 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 replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview 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 question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
