For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status remained secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts 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. “I think what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet 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 shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each 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 less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
