For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his standing remained secure after Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter the new boss, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn 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 great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. 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 around. The young defender was selected in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had gone 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 serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
