For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in both 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 knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going 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, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, 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 long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What 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 place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward 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 sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
