In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. 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 cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly 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 player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned 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.
What must not be overlooked – 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 injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting 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 essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex 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 held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
