For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained secure following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented 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. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly 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 squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, 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 serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. 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 that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly 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 stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
