For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed secure after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which 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 certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief 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 friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – 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 replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to truly embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
