For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer 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 turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved 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 do.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked 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 withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team 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 past or what is going on in the season, you put that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the intensity 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 means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
