In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move 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 demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned 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 bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited 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 withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
His decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; 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 squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at fostering an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
