For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership 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 wasn’t great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in each and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust 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. “In my view what the manager has achieved is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation team was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” 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 season, you put that aside. You come here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether 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 earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
