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For Marc Guéhi, a momentary spark of uncertainty was understandable. The Selhurst Park centre‑half had excelled for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a key selection under Gareth Southgate, and his standing remained intact after the caretaker coach’s tenure in the first half of last season.

Enter the new boss, and it is important to recall that this was the coach who had approved Guéhi’s transfer from Stamford Bridge to Palace in the offseason of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel fancy him? When the fresh leadership brought Dan Burn into the starting XI for his first game in charge, against Albania at Wembley in March, leaving Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t promising.

The manager started Guéhi in the next game, against Latvia, again at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which included the matches against Andorra away and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an facial knock during his club’s historic FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.

“In my opinion it’s natural for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, reflecting on his absence from Albania. “You know, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the team’s going to look like, it’s unknown who’s going to feature?”

What Guéhi then did was what he always does – remain completely in the moment, as composed as he could be. This approach would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his proposed transfer to Liverpool.

The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the matches against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he trained like a demon. Nobody would have been aware about any internal turmoil. It is hard not to see that gathering and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the period when he won Tuchel around. The 25-year-old started in both and was especially good in the 5-0 win over Serbia, even contributing his maiden strike for his country.

The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability 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 show a lot of faith in every single one of us,” Guéhi says. “Any time we receive the chance, we want 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 face 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 player choices.

It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the last get‑together, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Every one of the 24 who are fit have been kept – so excluding Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to pull out on Monday because of a more minor one.

The Manager’s Choices and Team Unity

His decision to omit the returned Jude Bellingham has dominated the discourse – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is also back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a afterthought.

What should not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – 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 place in Milan’s Serie A team. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the unavailable John Stones in September, although 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 manager creates a meritocracy, how he builds bonds. Tuchel admired the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors on the bench, and he wanted to recognize them. Bellingham or Loftus‑Cheek? Is that a question? Tuchel has essentially turned it into one for this camp – and he sees an positive in the signal he has sent. Past accolades will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.

Building a Brotherhood

It was with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his ex England colleague Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how egotistical and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era squad was. The talent 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 team before his first game.

“There’s any tension between anybody,” 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 campaign, you put that behind. You come here, these become your best friends, your teammates, the players that you battle with for as long as you’re here.

“The atmosphere is always great when we’re here. The football association, past coaches and the squad themselves, the staff, have performed a fantastic role at fostering an atmosphere. Then again, it depends on the players to actually embrace that. In my opinion every single person has bought into that superbly because I love so much being here and I know the rest of the lads feel the same, too.”

Future Focus

What Tuchel wants against Wales is a showing that excites the Wembley fans. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid sufficient; the wins positive, the first steps on the path to the World Cup next summer. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side continue the cut and thrust they showed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.

“In my case, anxiety is a natural human emotion,” he says about being benched against Albania. “But I was selected in that group. It means that the boss has opted for me for this chance and whether I’m playing or not I’ll always back the team.

“So personally, worrying can be a waste of time. You don’t have many days on this planet. I prefer to be excited and focused and help the people that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the finest that I can be rather than stressing.”