For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – 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 more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a something of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. 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 squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the first steps 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 showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
