In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also 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 suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, 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. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt 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 injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the team 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 question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
