In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the matches versus Andorra on the road 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 states, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing 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 Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face 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 shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point 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 missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, 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 believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive 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 positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
