For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained secure after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next 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. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration 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 available have been retained – 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.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize 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 sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
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 divided their much-hyped golden generation 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 “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed 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 players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
