In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status remained intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look promising.
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 included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’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 absence against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not 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 Decisions and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
