For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status remained secure after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – 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 lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
