In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed secure after the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea 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 starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned 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 worked 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 was selected in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith 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 play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed 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 upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension 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 what is occurring in the season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
