For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn 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 started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move 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. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition 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, quite, the most stunning show of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway 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 teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely being here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
