For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t 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 fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those games 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 against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going 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 stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding 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.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
That which 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 cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite 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, despite the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
