In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected 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 took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following 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 known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against 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 factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation team was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I love so much being here and I know the others of the lads 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 welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
