For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason 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 great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a hectic 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 games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet 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 shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone 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 Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up 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 knee injury.
Here is how a manager builds 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 question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “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 behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the others of the lads 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 enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
