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 first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status remained intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again 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 facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain firmly 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 Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Unity
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway 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 clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, 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 opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
