🔗 Share this article

For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed secure after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.

Enter the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.

The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.

“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”

What Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.

The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.

The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”

Faith as the Theme

Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.

It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – 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 more minor one.

Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Unity

Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.

What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – 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 former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.

Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.

Building a Brotherhood

It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.

“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “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 campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.

“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”

Looking Ahead

That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.

“In my case, worrying is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.

“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”