For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact after Lee Carsley’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 transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer 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 gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith 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 sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered 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 late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive 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, 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 held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
