For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented 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 trained like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a footnote.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, 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 FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong 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 boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
