For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able 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 historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust 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 traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission 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 does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
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 divided their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
