In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to show 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, quite, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available 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 Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be 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 place in Milan’s Serie A side. 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 squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” 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 occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I love so much coming here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched 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 back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be instead of worrying.”
