For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable 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 Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay completely in the present, as composed 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 reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over 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 a primary reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going 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 previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place 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 fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is going on in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
