For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. 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 remained intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games 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 hard 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 was selected in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked 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 obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – 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 lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK 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 meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect 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 much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
