For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status remained intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was especially good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not 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.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned 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.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped 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 talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
