For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed secure after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What 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 injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
