In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included 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 over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son 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 framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – 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 lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. 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 knock.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed 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 boss has chosen me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
