In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after Lee Carsley’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 transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager 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 took in 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 win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works 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 gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply 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 framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone 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 long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a footnote.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking 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 put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
