In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented 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. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each 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 forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot 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 group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the before or what is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts 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 signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
