For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
The manager 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 included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – 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 next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. 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 more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy immensely being here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
