For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup 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, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear 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 – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move 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 been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going 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, quite, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone 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 serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – 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 spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
