For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
The manager started 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 included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic 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 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 games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available 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 more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
His decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to truly buy into that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
