For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
Tuchel 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 versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next 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 been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going 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 support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. 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 obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind 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 effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era team 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 “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, 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 FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
