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For Marc Guéhi, a fleeting flicker of self-doubt was understandable. The Crystal Palace defender had shone for England at the European Championships, cementing himself as a key pick under the previous manager, and his status remained intact following Lee Carsley’s spell in the initial part of last season.

Enter Thomas Tuchel, and it is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s sale from Stamford Bridge to Crystal Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi definitely recalled that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the new broom brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.

Tuchel started Guéhi in the following game, against Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which included the fixtures versus Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had sustained an facial knock during Palace’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.

“In my opinion it’s normal for any footballer to practically doubt that,” Guéhi says, looking back at his omission against Albania. “As you’d expect, new manager coming in … who knows what the squad’s going to be, who knows who’s going to play?”

The thing Guéhi did next was what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as balanced as he could be. Which would benefit him during a hectic end to the offseason window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.

The next day, Guéhi reported with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a man possessed. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is difficult not to see that gathering and those games as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he earned Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in each and was particularly good 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 bringing players in, of empowering them; it was a primary factors why the FA appointed him. “In my view what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we do get the opportunity, we aim to show what we can do.”

Faith as the Central Idea

Trust is the theme – and not only because Guéhi is the child of a pastor and deeply Christian. England meet Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night before traveling to Riga to face Latvia in their next World Cup qualifying tie next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.

It was, quite, the most stunning show of support in the players from the previous camp, those who had gone to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s reign. Every one 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 obliged to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.

The Manager’s Decisions and Squad Unity

His choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has led the discourse – to the extent that the exclusion of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been rendered as a bit of a afterthought.

That which must 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 place in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who came in for the unavailable John Stones in September, despite the former now being OK and in the group. Though, Quansah himself was forced to withdraw on Wednesday because of a knock.

Here is how a manager builds a meritocracy, how he forges connections. Tuchel admired the team behind the team in Serbia, the unsung heroes on the sidelines, and he aimed to reward them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a debate? Tuchel has effectively turned it into one for this session – and he sees an upside in the signal he has delivered. Reputations will not influence him. Being a supportive colleague will.

Building a Strong Unit

Coinciding with good timing that Steven Gerrard opened up in an discussion with his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, disclosing how egotistical and divided their much-hyped golden generation team was. The talent was not in question; it was the environment that held them back and Tuchel is set to fix this. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the team before his initial match.

“There isn’t any animosity between anyone,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, Team England. No matter has happened in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave 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 consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the backroom team, have performed a fantastic job at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion each member has bought into that superbly because I enjoy so much coming here and I am sure the others of the lads do, too.”

Future Focus

That which Tuchel wants versus Wales is a performance that stirs the Wembley crowd. Those versus Albania and Latvia were steady enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Will the team continue the intensity they showed in Serbia? The final words go to Guéhi.

“For me, worrying is a normal human emotion,” he says about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss 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 only get so many days on this planet. I’d rather be positive and concentrated and assist the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”