For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy 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 unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as possible. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches 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 difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we want to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling 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 stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. 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 obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What 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 replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called golden generation team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
