For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed secure after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked 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 period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in each 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 bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not 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 Decisions and Squad Unity
His choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it 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 guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
