For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the next 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 eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is show a lot of faith 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 Theme
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face 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 shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding 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.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered 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 OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
