For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained secure following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer 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 first game in charge, against 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 pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented 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 man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie 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 last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Unity
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a footnote.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades 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 interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players 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 squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
