For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … who knows what the team’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 composed as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard 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 particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding 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.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
