For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, 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 coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … it’s unclear 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 – stay firmly in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled 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 serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
