For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed secure after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game 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, against Latvia, again 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 historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission against 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 did next was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the present, as composed as he could be. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer 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 man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we want to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly 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 shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding 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.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a something of a footnote.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era 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 team before his first game.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic role at creating an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has accepted that superbly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the side build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural feeling,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
