For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain completely 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 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 demon. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son 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 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 last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. 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 Decisions and Team Unity
His decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic role at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
