For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away 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 natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus 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 earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. 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 obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again 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 something of a afterthought.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind 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 essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
