In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing 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 important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as possible. Which 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 next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith 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 going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie 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 retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
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 cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” 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 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 days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”