For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures 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 almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack 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 done is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available 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 more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – 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 cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up 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 knock.
This is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, 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 signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; 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 first game.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to truly buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, 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 showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies 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 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 being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
