In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status remained secure after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move 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 demon. Not a soul 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 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. 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 dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys 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 staff, have done a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
