For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained secure after Lee Carsley’s spell 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 transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was what he always does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting 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 every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling 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 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 retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – 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 lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put 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 atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety 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 opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
