In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact after Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next 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 offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported 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 been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing 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. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to show 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 devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place 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 group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
