For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept 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 great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, 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 worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier 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 previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be overlooked – 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 cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach 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 recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the before or what is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, 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 staff, have performed a fantastic role at fostering an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says 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 playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
