For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his standing remained secure following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked 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 pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each 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 obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins welcome, 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 natural human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
