For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented 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 demon. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons 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. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each 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 obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot 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. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good 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 limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity 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 what is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
