For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice pick under the previous manager, and his status stayed intact after Lee Carsley’s spell in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is important to recall that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought another defender into the starting XI for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an unused substitute, it did not look great.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
What Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the moment, as balanced as possible. This approach 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 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 difficult not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly good in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we receive the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, simply, the most remarkable demonstration of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not 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 Squad Dynamics
His choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.
That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place 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 fit and in the squad. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit 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 reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he sees an upside in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his ex England colleague 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 limited them and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the team before his initial match.
“There’s any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is going on in the season, you put that behind. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, past coaches 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 buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that brilliantly because I enjoy so much coming here and I know the others of the lads feel the same, too.”
Future Focus
What Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he states about being benched against Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. I’d rather be positive and focused and help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than worrying.”
