In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status remained intact following the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half 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 certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership swept Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.
Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, who knows who is going to play?”
The thing Guéhi did next was exactly what he always does – remain firmly in the present, as composed as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic 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 matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to display what we can do.”
Belief as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a pastor 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 qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has framed it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most remarkable show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Choices and Squad Dynamics
Tuchel’s choice to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a footnote.
That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.
This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel loved the team behind the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Building a Brotherhood
Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and divided their much-hyped golden generation squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is determined to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.
“There isn’t any tension between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the past or what is going on in the season, you put that aside. You come here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.
“The atmosphere is always positive when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I love immensely being here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”
Future Focus
That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team 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 states about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll always support the team.
“So for me, fretting can be a futile effort. You only get so many days on this earth. I prefer to be excited and concentrated and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
