For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 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 empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit 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 Squad Dynamics
His decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must 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 cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their so-called golden generation squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager 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 waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
