For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after 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 approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – 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 less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Unity
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which must 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 team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting 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 turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the season, you put that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing 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 planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
