For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed secure after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in each and was particularly good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’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 back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What 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 hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the before or what is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, 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 squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at creating an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, 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 victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
