For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status remained secure after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his second camp in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, who knows who is going to play?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach would serve him well during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Not a soul would have known about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to display what we can do.”
Faith as the Theme
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of support in the players from the last camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Dynamics
Tuchel’s decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he forges bonds. Tuchel loved the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Brotherhood
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his first game.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or what is going on in the campaign, you leave that behind. You come here, these become your closest allies, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.
“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic role at creating an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I know the rest of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing against Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and if I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
