For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not 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 Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era team was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set 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 say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or what is going on in the season, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
