For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly 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 player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – so not 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.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Unity
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which must 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 cover for 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, despite the former now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation 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 speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become 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 players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much coming here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the cut and thrust 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 group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
