In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty 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 remained secure following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected 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 against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported 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 gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face 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 shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked 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 forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
What must 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 cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them 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 explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. 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 instead of stressing.”
