In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown 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 benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available 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 more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be 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 surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or what is going on in the season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent role at creating an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to truly buy into that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
