In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which included 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 win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – 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 traveling 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, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited 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.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which should 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 injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t 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 going on in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these become your best friends, 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 FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always support 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 help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
