For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status remained intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup 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, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face 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, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not 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.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a footnote.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing 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 get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
