For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact following the caretaker coach’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 transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented 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 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 pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith 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 sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. 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. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward 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 upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
