For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status remained intact after Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister 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 shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still 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 concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
