For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained 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 sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet 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 framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, 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 forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind 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 essentially made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites 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 summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
