In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed secure after Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the FA appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled 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 serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also 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 supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or what is going on in the season, you put that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
