For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against 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 suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay firmly in the moment, as composed as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – 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 play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Unity
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be overlooked – 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 injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the past or what is occurring in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic role at creating an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to 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 do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
