For Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership swept another defender into the lineup for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“I’d say it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi then did was what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as composed as possible. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against 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 turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.
The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the opportunity, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Faith is the focus – and not just 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 player choices.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
Tuchel’s Choices and Team Unity
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.
That which must 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 surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
Here is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion each member has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy immensely being here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins welcome, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the team build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I’d rather be excited and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”
