For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager selected 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 took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we want to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. 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 say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or what is going on in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” 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 if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days 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 finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
