In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender 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 started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra on the road 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 any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up 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 internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available 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 less serious one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
What must 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 replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
