🔗 Share this article

For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a key selection under the previous manager, and his standing remained intact after Lee Carsley’s tenure in the first half of last season.

Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is important to recall that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the summer 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, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.

The manager selected Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the fixtures against 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 almost question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence against Albania. “You know, fresh coach coming in … who knows what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who is going to feature?”

The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – stay completely in the present, as composed as possible. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.

The following day, Guéhi reported 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 difficult not to see that camp and those games as a turning point for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender was selected in both and was particularly good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.

The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this ability of bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association appointed 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 do get the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”

Faith as the Central Idea

Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and devoutly Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his player choices.

It was, simply, the most stunning show of support in the players from the previous get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each 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 forced to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.

The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics

His decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.

That which must not be overlooked – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be ignored – is how he has stood by 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 place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was forced to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.

This is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges bonds. Tuchel admired the unit supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the sidelines, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a question? Tuchel has essentially made it one for this session – and he sees an positive in the message he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.

Creating a Strong Unit

Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation team was. The ability was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad 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 what is occurring in the campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these are your closest allies, your colleagues, the players that you go to war with for as long as you’re here.

“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at creating an spirit. Additionally, it depends on the players to truly embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I enjoy immensely coming here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”

Future Focus

What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the victories positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the side build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words belong to Guéhi.

“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the manager has chosen me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.

“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”