In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only 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 next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is going on in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually buy into that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I love so much being here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
