For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker 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 stayed intact after Lee Carsley’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 Chelsea to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the FA appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we want to show what we can do.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one 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.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
His choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
What must 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 cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK 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 meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their so-called golden generation team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to truly embrace that. I think each member has bought into that superbly because I love immensely being here and I know the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”
