For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status remained intact after 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 manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay completely 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, prevented his planned move 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 been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – 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 more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on 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 in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
