For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy 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 unused substitute, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly 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 remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, 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 obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated 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 does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured 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 former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or what is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at creating an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager 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 waste of time. You don’t have many days 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 best that I can be rather than stressing.”
