In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick 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 his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach 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 worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of faith 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 Theme
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’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 fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing 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 set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states 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 support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
