In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
Tuchel started 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 took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic 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 games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want 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 pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad 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 fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured 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 knock.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds 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 that a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. 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 former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
