For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker 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 remained intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did 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, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
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 hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit 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 less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must 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 cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though 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, although the former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “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 season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I love so much being here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
