For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his status remained intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as possible. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp 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 over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor 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 shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of confidence 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 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 Decisions and Squad Unity
His decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – 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, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment 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’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely being here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
