For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason 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 worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors 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. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only 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 next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. 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 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 discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – 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 spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the team behind 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 essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that excites 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 year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
