For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just 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 shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit 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 less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Unity
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a footnote.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. 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 squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
