In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status remained intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win over 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 a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
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 traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next 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 reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding 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
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What should 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 cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is going on in the season, you put that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
