For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next 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. 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 period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive 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 church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
That which should not be ignored – 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 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 injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress 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, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this planet. I’d rather 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.”
