For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered 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 absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to show what we can do.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – 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 going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Unity
His choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite 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 coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was 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 golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking 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 happened in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
