For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status remained intact 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 coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games 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 camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace 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 former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
