For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part 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 summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with 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 not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody 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 won Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the past or what is going on in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
