For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park 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 following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which included the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against 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 hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering 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 faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – 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 more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize 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 signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” 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, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere 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 spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
