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For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was understandable. The Selhurst Park defender had excelled for England at Euro 2024, establishing himself as a first-choice pick under Gareth Southgate, and his status stayed secure following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.

Enter the new boss, and it is worth remembering that this was the manager who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look promising.

Tuchel selected Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to pick him for his next gathering in June, which took in the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final win over Manchester City.

“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager arriving … who knows what the squad’s going to be, who knows who is going to feature?”

The thing Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain completely 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 club chairman, Steve Parish, prevented his planned transfer to Liverpool.

The following day, Guéhi reported with England for the games versus Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have known about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The young defender was selected in both and was especially good in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.

The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was a primary reasons why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the gaffer has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Whenever we do get the chance, we aim to show what we can do.”

Faith as the Central Idea

Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet 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 remarkable show of support in the players from the last get‑together, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.

The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity

His decision to overlook the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.

That which should not be ignored – and what Tuchel hopes won’t be missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having surrendered his spot in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former 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 coach creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved 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 essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.

Creating a Brotherhood

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 environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.

“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the before or whatever is occurring in the season, you leave that aside. You arrive here, these become your closest allies, your colleagues, the guys that you battle with for as long as you’re here.

“The environment is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Additionally, it comes down to the players to truly buy into that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love immensely coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”

Future Focus

What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories welcome, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.

“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that group. It signifies that the manager has opted for me for this opportunity and whether I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.

“So for me, fretting can be a waste of time. You don’t have many moments on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and help the people that I can – or help myself – by striving to be the best that I can be instead of stressing.”