In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his standing remained secure following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following 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 turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition 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 player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning 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 retained – 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 Dynamics
His decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a footnote.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set 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 says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, 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, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, 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 last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
