For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay firmly in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each 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 focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, 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 players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this planet. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
