In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure after the caretaker coach’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 transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. 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 young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available 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 Decisions and Team Dynamics
His decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point 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 missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the intensity they showed 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 selected in that group. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
