In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a hectic 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 games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering 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 every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play 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 get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
That which should 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 hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or what is occurring in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if 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 days on this planet. 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 stressing.”
