For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact after Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly 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 uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to display 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 meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
His decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you battle 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 done a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
