For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up 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 camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition 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 squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – 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 more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
