For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part 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 offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was especially good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not only 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 framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate 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 much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely being here and I am sure the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this planet. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
