In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact after Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
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 appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit 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 Choices and Team Unity
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the omission 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 supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a good teammate 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 egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war 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 backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always 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 excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
