For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay completely in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going 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 show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – 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 injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
