For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting 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 the previous manager, and his standing remained secure after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.
The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures versus Andorra away 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 almost doubt that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”
The thing Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as balanced as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed transfer to Liverpool.
The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the FA hired him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Central Idea
Trust is the focus – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.
It was, quite, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.
The Manager’s Decisions and Team Unity
Tuchel’s choice to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.
That which must not be overlooked – 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, 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, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a coach builds a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved 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 believes in an positive in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a supportive colleague will.
Creating a Strong Unit
Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and divided their so-called golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.
“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has gone on in the past or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become 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 staff, have done a excellent role at fostering an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I know the others of the lads do, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.
“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It signifies that the boss has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.
“So personally, fretting can be a futile effort. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the teammates that I can – or help myself – by being the best that I can be rather than stressing.”
