In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith 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 going 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 stunning demonstration of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding 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
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – 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 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 spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites 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. Will the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
