For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager selected 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 fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against 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 hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. 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 instead of stressing.”
