For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus 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, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus 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 doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a hectic 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 versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched against 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 support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
