For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach 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 games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply 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 player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, 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 long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which should not be ignored – 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 cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors 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 positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic role at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I love so much being here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
