For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership 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 promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned 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 demon. Not a soul would have been aware 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 around. The young defender was selected in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – 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 qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – 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 injured Adam Wharton, even though 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, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors 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 session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace 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 players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the team 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 against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
