In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic 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 matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both 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 one of the main reasons why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going 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, 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 retained – 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 more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
His choice to omit the fit-again 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 bit of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he believes in an positive in the message 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 discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against 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. Can the team 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 not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
