For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager started 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 matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of support 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 fit have been kept – so excluding 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 Choices and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be overlooked – 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 replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. 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, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at creating an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
