For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact following 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 manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game 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 unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s memorable FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his omission against Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – remain completely in the present, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over 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 reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the opportunity, 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 church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Dynamics
His decision to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – 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 surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the team 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 gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I love immensely being here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this chance and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
