For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact following the caretaker coach’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 transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody 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 won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in each and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing 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 factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we receive the chance, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Theme
Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one 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 more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – 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 lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled 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 bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Then again, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I enjoy so much being here and I am sure the rest of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still back the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
