In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved 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.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding 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.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Unity
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt 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 injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I know the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
