In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point 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 contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust 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 squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? 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 influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, 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 always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I love so much being here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
