For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which included the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was what he always does – remain completely in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games 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 against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration 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 fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit 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 bit of a afterthought.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager creates 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 reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
