In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer 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, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing 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 appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. However, 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 unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; 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 isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
