For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel 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 versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed 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 demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. 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 25-year-old started in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Unity
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be overlooked – 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 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 unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team 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 gone on in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I love immensely being here and I know the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
