For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed 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 trained like a demon. 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 over. The young defender was selected in each and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against 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 factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust 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 next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – 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 more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
