In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status remained intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach 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 typically does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported 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 personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition 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 squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each 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 obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
His decision to overlook the returned 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 afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for 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 came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the message he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined 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 says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive 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 positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
