For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed secure after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the matches against 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.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the moment, as composed as possible. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer 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 man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not 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.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be ignored – 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 replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins welcome, the first steps 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 final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, 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 chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
