For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the team’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 composed as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned 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 worked like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must not be overlooked – 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 cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back 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 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 leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path 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.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies 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, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
