For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure after the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his first game 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, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as composed 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 transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main 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. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not 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 Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – 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 lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
