For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager 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 included the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer 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 man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we aim 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 deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which should not be overlooked – 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 injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I love immensely being here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus 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. Can the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
