For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear 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 – remain completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented 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 demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we aim to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which 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 injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Building 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 much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I love immensely being here and I know the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It means that the manager has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll always back the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”
