In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure 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 sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, 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, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over 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 a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child 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 qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show 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 fit 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 more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit 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 hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost 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 latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” 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 occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
