In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part 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 offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly 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, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just 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 face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. 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 Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – 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 should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – 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 surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with perfect 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 much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back 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 put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or what is going on in the season, you put that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
