For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game 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, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost 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 former now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic role at creating an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid 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 build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting 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 earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
