For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his status remained secure following the caretaker coach’s spell 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 Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “You know, new manager coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. 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 period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has done is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Choices and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed 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 signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “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 season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
