For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained secure following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches 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 every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly 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, quite, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
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 clique-ridden their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
