For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed secure following the caretaker coach’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 transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again 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 sustained an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically 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 planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only 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 play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported 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 retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
