For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next 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. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor 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 qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – 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.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable 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 knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic role at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” 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 opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this planet. I prefer to be positive and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
