For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained secure following Lee Carsley’s tenure 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 offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented 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 demon. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. 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 started in both and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one 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 withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What must 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 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 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.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war 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 performed a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
