For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which 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 certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move 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 internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet 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 player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – 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 hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered 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 fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize 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 message he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in question; 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 isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
