In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented 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 demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys 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 job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites 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. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed 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 boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
