In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus 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 difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of support 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 excluding 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 Decisions and Team Unity
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – 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 lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories 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 showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether 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 earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
