In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able 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 suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost 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 former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate 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 atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the road 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 selected in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
