For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move 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. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly impressive 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 empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is going on in the season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
