In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer 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 demon. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister 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 squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one 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 more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – 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 surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
