🔗 Share this article

For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing stayed intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the first half of last season.

Then came Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept Dan Burn into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an unused substitute, it wasn’t promising.

The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which included the matches versus Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final win over Manchester City.

“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”

The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he always does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would serve him well during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.

The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a man possessed. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was particularly good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.

The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we receive the chance, we want to show what we can do.”

Belief as the Central Idea

Faith is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifier 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 get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Every one of the 24 who are fit 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 Team Unity

His choice to overlook the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the conversation – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a something of a footnote.

That which should not be overlooked – 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, despite Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.

This is how a manager creates a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he wanted to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.

Creating a Strong Unit

It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up 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 ability 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 team before his initial match.

“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. No matter has gone on in the before or whatever is occurring in the campaign, you put that aside. You come here, these become your best friends, your colleagues, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.

“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The football association, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the individuals to actually buy into that. I think each member has accepted that superbly because I love immensely being here and I know the others of the players do, too.”

Future Focus

That which Tuchel expects versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Will the side build on the cut and thrust they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.

“In my case, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and if I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.

“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be instead of stressing.”