For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed 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 man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only 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 qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not 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.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something 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, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost 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 fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic role at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
