For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move 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. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – 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 less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. 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 personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
