In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership 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 did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against 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 difficult not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot 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 fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called 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 speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to 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.”
