For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status remained intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy 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 unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have known 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 won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to display 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 devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition 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, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up 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 latter now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
