For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving 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 not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the moment, 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 joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only 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 player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Unity
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What should not be overlooked – 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 replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted 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 upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad 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 whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
