In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next 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 internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief 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
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not 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.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be 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, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. 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 group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good 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 talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or what is going on in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
