In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.
Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select 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 memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was exactly what he typically does – stay completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was especially impressive in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each 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 less serious one.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
What must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knock.
This is how a coach builds a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel admired the unit behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the bench, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Being a good teammate will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is determined to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.
“There’s any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the before or what is occurring in the season, you put that behind. You come here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly buy into that. I think each member has accepted that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I am sure the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side 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 being benched in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be instead of worrying.”
