For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part 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 Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against 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 camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was especially good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting 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 every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence 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 kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What should 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, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? 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 influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I love immensely being here and I know the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
