In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t 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 took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, 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 matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those games 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 first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling 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 support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – 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 more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or what is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive 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.”
