For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra away 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 almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked 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 man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. 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 25-year-old started in both and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Unity
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
