For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status remained intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach 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 fresh leadership brought another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul 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 time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly 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 shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled 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 omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach 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 aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set 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 put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
