For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed secure after Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The young defender started in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering 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 says. “Any time we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices 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 fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
What should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called talented era team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.
“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
