In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly good in the five-nil 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 Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith 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 exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Unity
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What must 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 hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
