For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status remained secure after Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled 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, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. 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 withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained 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 knock.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called golden generation squad was. The talent was not in question; 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 isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is going on in the season, you leave 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 consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I love so much coming here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
