For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as possible. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one 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 withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation team was. The ability was not in doubt; 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 first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path 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 go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
