For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was 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 uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face 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, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked 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 pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – 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 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, despite the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is going on in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying 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 opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
