For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches 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 maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly 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, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each 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 pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as 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 fantastic job at fostering an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I love so much being here and I am sure the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity 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 days on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
