In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained 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 pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here 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 wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at creating an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
