For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status remained intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good 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 empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to display 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 friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a footnote.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided 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 fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
