For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick 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 memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked 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 personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only 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 face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. 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 obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. 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 compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. 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 finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
