For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented 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 worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last camp, 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 long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the unit 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 camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
