For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next 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 internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not just 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 qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. 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 obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made 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 late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if 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 days on this earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
