In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay firmly in the moment, as composed as possible. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned 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. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I know the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
