In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, against 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 unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody 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 earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – 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 Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side 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 being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
