In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key 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, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move 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 man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – 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 replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved 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 made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any tension 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 campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
