In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable 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 suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented 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 man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next 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 last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. 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 forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the group. Though, 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 unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You come here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic role at fostering an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I know the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
