In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as possible. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous 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 obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Unity
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided 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 speaking 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 say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
