For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved 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 swept Dan Burn 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.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select 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 historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay completely in the present, as composed as possible. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult 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 was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one 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 forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which must 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 hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This 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 sidelines, and he wanted to recognize 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 message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at creating an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
