For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed 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 trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was particularly good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons 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. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly 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 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 reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter 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 go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
