For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone 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 sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – 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.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Unity
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I love so much coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
