For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering 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 another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look 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 against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed 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 demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had gone 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.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace 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 stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the past or what is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
