In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay firmly in the moment, as composed as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed 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 trained like a demon. 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 period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil 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 empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – 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 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 replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at creating an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs 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 thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
