In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained secure after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary 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 comments. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith 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 traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive 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 buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
