In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the initial part of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his debut in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able 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 his club’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Not a soul 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 around. The young defender was selected in each and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
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 traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so excluding 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
His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept 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 compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era 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 talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the individuals to truly embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I know 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 versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the team build on the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager 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 futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
