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

Enter the new boss, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the new broom swept another defender into the starting XI for his debut in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it did not look great.

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 included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.

“I’d say it’s natural for every player to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his absence from Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to be, it’s unknown who’s going to play?”

What Guéhi did next was what he typically does – remain completely in the present, as balanced as possible. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move to Liverpool.

The next day, Guéhi reported 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 difficult not to see that gathering and those matches as a turning point for Guéhi, the period when he earned Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.

The faith cuts both ways. Tuchel has this knack of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main reasons why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has done is show a lot of faith in each of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to display what we can achieve.”

Belief as the Theme

Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the son of a pastor and deeply Christian. England face Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to play Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie 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 last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s reign. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a less serious one.

Tuchel’s Decisions and Team Unity

Tuchel’s decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the point that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is also fully recovered, has been rendered as a bit of a footnote.

What 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 replace the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.

This is how a manager creates a meritocracy, how he builds connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is it even a debate? Tuchel has effectively made it one for this camp – and he believes in an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not sway him. Acting as a good teammate will.

Building a Brotherhood

It was with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their so-called golden generation squad was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “close-knit group” within the squad before his first game.

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

“The atmosphere is consistently positive when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have performed a excellent job at creating an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. I think every single person has accepted that superbly because I love so much being here and I am sure the others of the players do, too.”

Future Focus

That which Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that stirs the Wembley fans. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.

“For me, worrying is a natural human emotion,” he says about not playing against Albania. “But I was selected in that squad. It signifies that the manager has chosen me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.

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