In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit 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 less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a footnote.
That which 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 cover for the hurt 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 latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy immensely being here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Will the side 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 states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
