For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure after the caretaker coach’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 summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games 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 against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw 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 dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague 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 environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
