For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each 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 forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which must 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 cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era 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 squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, fretting 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 improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
