In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against 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 omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face 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 framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
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 replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the unit 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 turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague 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, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You come 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 squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
