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For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of uncertainty was natural. 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 standing remained intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.

Then came Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the manager who had approved Guéhi’s sale from Chelsea to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Did Tuchel rate him? When the new broom brought 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.

Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, versus Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to pick him for his next gathering in June, which included the fixtures against Andorra away 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 practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission 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 did next was what he typically does – stay firmly in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the Palace chair, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed move 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. Not a soul would have been aware about any personal doubts. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old was selected in both and was especially impressive in the five-nil win over Serbia, even adding his maiden strike for his country.

The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of supporting them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association hired him. “In my view what the manager has done is demonstrate a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”

Faith as the Theme

Faith is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a church minister 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 framed it all with his player choices.

It was, simply, the most stunning demonstration of support in the players from the last camp, those who had gone to Serbia and sparked Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have long-term issues. Or Reece James, who was obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.

The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Dynamics

His choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the extent that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a something of a afterthought.

That which should not be overlooked – and what Tuchel does not want 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, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he kept Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the latter now being fit and in the squad. Though, Quansah himself was compelled to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knee injury.

Here is how a manager builds a performance-based culture, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – 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

Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their so-called talented era squad was. The ability was not in question; it was the atmosphere that limited them and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was talking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his first game.

“There’s any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. Whatever has happened in the past or what is occurring in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your best friends, your teammates, the guys that you go to war with for however long you’re here.

“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The FA, past coaches and the players themselves, the backroom team, have done a fantastic job at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it comes down to the individuals to actually embrace that. I think each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much being here and I am sure the rest of the players feel the same, too.”

Future Focus

What Tuchel expects against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady sufficient; the wins positive, the initial progress on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not thrillers. Can the team build on the intensity they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.

“For me, worrying is a normal feeling,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It signifies that the boss has opted for me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll still support the team.

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