For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … 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 firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil 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 a primary factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith 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 focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition 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 player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding 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 Choices and Squad Dynamics
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What 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 replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
