For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. 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 status stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s spell 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 Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender 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 great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware 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 was selected in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win against 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 reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display 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 devoutly Christian. England meet 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 framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one 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 obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported 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 retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I love so much coming here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
