For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status remained intact after Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going 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 stunning show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked 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 forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt 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, although the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward 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 sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to truly buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
