In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained secure after Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – 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.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot 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 fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“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 past or what is occurring in the season, you put that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently 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 depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I love so much being here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
