🔗 Share this article

For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.

Then came the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.

The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.

“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”

The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.

The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.

The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”

Belief as the Theme

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

It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.

The Manager’s Choices and Squad Unity

Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.

That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.

Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.

Creating a Brotherhood

Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.

“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.

“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”

Future Focus

What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.

“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.

“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”