For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status remained intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed 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 worked like a demon. Nobody would have known 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 around. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone 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 long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
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 last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so 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 best that I can be rather than worrying.”
