For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut 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, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in each and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter 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 creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially made it 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.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys 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 players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
