In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed secure following Lee Carsley’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 sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated 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.
What should 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 replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team 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 turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set 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 whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that aside. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
