In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was especially good 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 drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play 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 confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
His decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which must 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 hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, 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 message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I know the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
