For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact after 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 sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as possible. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil 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 factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child 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 qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit 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.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s 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 past or what is going on in the season, you put that behind. You come here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I am sure the rest of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
