For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move 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 been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was especially 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 drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – 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 going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of support 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 forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned 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 something of a afterthought.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the group. 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 bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic role at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always 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 positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
