For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status remained intact after Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter 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 summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay completely in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one 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 obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite 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 former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much coming here and I know the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies 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 futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
