For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part 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 Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed 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. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to show 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 face 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 support in the players from the last get‑together, 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 Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit 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 last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever 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 as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
