For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status remained intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned 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 swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “You know, 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 what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited 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 Decisions and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained 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 withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad 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 team before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at creating an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I know the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
