In the case of Marc Guéhi, a momentary flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Selhurst Park defender had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his standing stayed intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.
Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.
The manager 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 against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his omission against Albania. “You know, new manager arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to be, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”
What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned move to Liverpool.
The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that camp and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel over. The 25-year-old was selected in each and was particularly impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even adding his first international goal.
The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”
Faith as the Theme
Faith is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.
It was, quite, the most stunning demonstration of confidence in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are available have been retained – so not 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.
Tuchel’s Decisions and Squad Unity
Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.
What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to cover for the hurt Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being OK and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.
Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has delivered. Past accolades will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.
Creating a Strong Unit
It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his initial match.
“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has happened in the before or what is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you battle with for however long you’re here.
“The environment is always great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. I think every single person has bought into that superbly because I love immensely coming here and I know the rest of the players feel the same, too.”
Looking Ahead
That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins welcome, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.
“In my case, anxiety is a normal human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m playing or not I’ll still support the team.
“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You don’t have many days on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than worrying.”
