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For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had excelled for England at the European Championships, establishing himself as a first-choice selection under the previous manager, and his standing remained secure following Lee Carsley’s tenure in the initial part of last season.

Then came the new boss, and it is important to recall 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. Did Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.

The manager started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was unable to select him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an eye injury during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.

“I’d say it’s natural for any footballer to almost doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … who knows what the team’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”

What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – stay completely in the present, as balanced as he could be. This approach would serve him well during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, prevented his proposed move to Liverpool.

The following day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially good in the five-nil win against Serbia, even contributing his first international goal.

The faith works both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association appointed him. “I think what the manager has achieved is demonstrate a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the opportunity, we aim to display what we can do.”

Faith as the Theme

Trust is the theme – and not just because Guéhi is the child of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England meet 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 ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are available have been retained – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to withdraw on Monday because of a less serious one.

The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity

Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the exclusion 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 does not want missed – is how he has supported Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a last-minute addition in September to replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who came in for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.

This is how a manager builds 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 that a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an upside in the message he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Being a good teammate will.

Creating a Brotherhood

It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an discussion with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation 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 “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.

“There isn’t any tension between anyone,” Guéhi says. “We are, as we say when we’re here, Team England. No matter has gone on in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you put that behind. You arrive here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.

“The atmosphere is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the squad themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at creating an spirit. Additionally, it comes down to the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion every single person has accepted that superbly because I love so much being here and I know the rest of the players do, too.”

Looking Ahead

What Tuchel wants against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the wins positive, the initial progress on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not thrillers. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts go to Guéhi.

“For me, anxiety is a natural feeling,” he states about being benched in Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always support the team.

“So for me, worrying can be a futile effort. You only get so many moments on this earth. I prefer to be positive and focused and assist the people that I can – or improve personally – by being the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”