In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay completely in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want 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 place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
