In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty 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 stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches 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 difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was particularly 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 supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the FA appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. 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 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 omission of Phil Foden, who is also 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 stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; 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 team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
