In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against 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 one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed 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 do get the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each 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 obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made 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 cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation squad was. The talent 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 squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic role at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
