For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting 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 status 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 manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable 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 eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability 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 achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
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 face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
