For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained secure after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we want 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 church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be overlooked – 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 spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “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 campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, 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 excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal 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 opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be excited 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.”
