For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate 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 Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, 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 sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the past or what is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly buy into that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the first steps 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 showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
