In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away 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 normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus 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 difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning 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 kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which should 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 injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called golden generation squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the past or what is occurring in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent job at creating an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
