For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his standing stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult 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 impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition 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, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not 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 Choices and Squad Dynamics
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What must 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 hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing 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 speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
