For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half 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 certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain completely in the moment, 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, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next 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. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son 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 sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available 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.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the before or what is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are 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 FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic role at fostering an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly embrace that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
