For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a footnote.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. 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 squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit 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 question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era squad 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 isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the before or what is occurring in the season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to truly buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
