For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker 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 status stayed secure following 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 sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling 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, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone 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 forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind 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 effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
