For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced 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 proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was especially good 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 one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be overlooked – 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 cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds 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 that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad 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 speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the boss 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 waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
