For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus 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 hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor 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 framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled 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 long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the rest 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 steady sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
