For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed secure after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership 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 great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was especially good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we want to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in 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 creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good 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 so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has opted for 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 only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
