For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status remained secure following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Unity
His decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – 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, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or what is going on in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
