cec

You have to feel for Marc Guehi, a footballer with principles in an industry not exactly overflowing with them. He’s a model pro. Crystal Palace have played 360 minutes this season and Guehi has played all but a minute of them. Even with all the talk of a transfer to Liverpool, Guehi trained and played, respecting his employers, his team-mates, Palace supporters and coaching staff. He focused hard, and carried on defending well; Palace conceded only three goals in those six games. Guehi even scored. He honoured his contract. He behaved impeccably.    Needing to strengthen their defence, Liverpool offered £35m, and Palace accepted as they would lose Guehi for nothing next year. But when they could not find a suitable replacement (and there can’t be many around to replace such a good defender) the deal fell through shortly before the window closed.  It’s possible to feel relief for Oliver Glasner, Palace’s alchemist of a head coach who keeps producing good teams despite losing good players, and also huge sympathy for Guehi. He played fair. He didn’t kick up a fuss which might have got the process moving earlier, giving Palace more time to find a replacement. He didn’t release sulphurous statements. He did that old-fashioned thing of getting on with his job. And missed out on joining the champions.    It’s a big miss for Liverpool who will be hoping Ibrahima Konate continues to regain form (and Liverpool could go back in for Guehi again in January). In Guehi, Liverpool would have been getting more than a strong, fast, elite-level centre-back who was England’s best player at last year’s Euros. They would have got a composed leader who could be a future captain.  Guehi exudes quiet authority, always has, even before Patrick Vieira made him captain after seeing his maturity and the way even senior players looked up to Guehi. He’s a role model off the field with his humility and commitment to Palace’s vital community work. Guehi’s religious, the son of a church minister and used to play the drums in his father’s church. He avoids social media. No ego.    Dedicated pro. Perhaps because he doesn’t chase the limelight, Guehi rarely gets the credit he deserves. Palace fans love him, and rightly so. He’s an exceptional defender. Guehi’s not the tallest but more than copes aerially because of his positional savvy, anticipation and spring. Ivan Toney once admitted moving towards the other centre-back to escape Guehi. His distribution is good: 97% pass completion in probably his finest  performance for England, against Serbia at the Euros. He’s 25, always focused on improving. John Stones talks of Guehi as “like a big sponge to learn”.  Being the model pro that he is Guehi will doubtless swallow his disappointment and focus on delivering for Palace. And Palace fans will love him for it. And the game will respect him even more. He may have lost out on his move but Guehi has won many admirers across the game for his principled behaviour. Sadly, principles don’t always help in the Wild West that is the Premier League transfer window. #CPFC 🦅