For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus 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 natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition 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, quite, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone 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 pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or what is occurring in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
