For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate 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 unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition 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, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – 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 less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Unity
His choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which should not be ignored – 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 cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation team 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 “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. 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 being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
