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In the case of Marc Guéhi, a fleeting spark of self-doubt was natural. The Crystal Palace centre‑half had shone for England at Euro 2024, cementing himself as a first-choice selection under Gareth Southgate, and his status remained intact following the caretaker coach’s spell in the initial part of last season.

Enter Thomas Tuchel, which is worth remembering that this was the coach who had sanctioned Guéhi’s transfer from Chelsea to Palace in the summer of 2021. Guéhi certainly remembered that. Was Tuchel rate him? When the fresh leadership brought another defender into the lineup for his first game in charge, versus Albania at Wembley in March, with Guéhi as an uninvolved reserve, it wasn’t great.

The manager started Guéhi in the next game, versus Latvia, also at Wembley, before he was not able to select him for his second camp in June, which took in the matches against Andorra on the road and Senegal in Nottingham. Guéhi had suffered an eye injury during his club’s memorable FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.

“In my opinion it’s normal for every player to practically question that,” Guéhi states, looking back at his absence against Albania. “As you’d expect, fresh coach arriving … it’s unclear what the squad’s going to look like, who knows who’s going to play?”

The thing Guéhi then did was exactly what he typically does – stay firmly in the present, as balanced as possible. Which would benefit him during a dramatic end to the summer transfer window when the club chairman, Steve Parish, blocked his planned move to Liverpool.

The next day, Guéhi joined up with England for the games against Andorra at Villa Park and Serbia in Belgrade and he worked like a demon. Nobody would have known about any personal doubts. It is hard not to see that camp and those matches as a pivotal moment for Guéhi, the time when he won Tuchel over. The young defender started in both and was especially impressive in the 5-0 win against Serbia, even adding his first international goal.

The trust works both ways. Tuchel has this ability of drawing players in, of empowering them; it was one of the main factors why the Football Association hired him. “I think what the gaffer has achieved is show a lot of belief in every single one of us,” Guéhi comments. “Any time we do get the chance, we want to show what we can achieve.”

Faith as the Central Idea

Trust is the focus – and not just because Guéhi is the son of a church minister and devoutly Christian. England face Wales in a exhibition at Wembley on Thursday night before going to Riga to face Latvia in their sixth World Cup qualifier next Tuesday and Tuchel has shaped it all with his squad selection.

It was, simply, the most stunning show of confidence in the players from the previous camp, those who had traveled to Serbia and ignited Tuchel’s tenure. Each of the 24 who are fit have been retained – so not Tino Livramento or Noni Madueke, who have serious injuries. Or Reece James, who was forced to withdraw on Monday because of a more minor one.

The Manager’s Decisions and Team Unity

Tuchel’s choice to omit the fit-again Jude Bellingham has dominated the conversation – to the point that the omission of Phil Foden, who is likewise back to fitness, has been made as a bit of a footnote.

What must not be ignored – and what Tuchel does not want ignored – is how he has stood by Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who was a late call-up in September to cover for the injured Adam Wharton, even though Loftus-Cheek having lost his spot in Milan’s Serie A side. Or how he retained Jarell Quansah, who stepped up for the injured John Stones in September, although the former now being OK and in the group. However, Quansah himself was compelled to exit on Wednesday because of a knee injury.

This is how a coach creates a performance-based culture, how he forges connections. Tuchel loved the team supporting the team in Serbia, the unheralded contributors 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 sees an positive in the signal he has sent. Reputations will not influence him. Acting as a supportive colleague will.

Creating a Brotherhood

Coinciding with perfect timing that Steven Gerrard spoke candidly in an interview with his former England teammate Rio Ferdinand on Tuesday, revealing how self-centered and clique-ridden their much-hyped talented era team was. The talent was not in doubt; it was the atmosphere that held them back and Tuchel is set to get this right. He was speaking about a “brotherhood” within the squad before his initial match.

“There isn’t any animosity between anybody,” Guéhi explains. “We are, as we put it when we’re here, the England squad. Whatever has happened in the past or whatever is going on in the campaign, you leave that behind. You arrive here, these are your closest allies, your teammates, the players that you go to war with for however long you’re here.

“The environment is consistently great when we’re here. The FA, previous managers and the players themselves, the staff, have done a excellent role at creating an atmosphere. Additionally, it depends on the players to actually buy into that. In my opinion each member has bought into that brilliantly because I love so much coming here and I am sure the rest of the players do, too.”

Looking Ahead

That which Tuchel expects against Wales is a performance that excites the Wembley crowd. Those against Albania and Latvia were solid enough; the victories positive, the first steps on the road to the World Cup next year. But they were not pulse‑quickeners. Can the side build on the intensity they displayed in Serbia? The last thoughts belong to Guéhi.

“In my case, anxiety is a normal feeling,” he states about not playing in Albania. “But I was picked in that squad. It means that the boss has chosen me for this chance and if I’m starting or not I’ll still support 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 help the teammates that I can – or improve personally – by striving to be the best that I can be rather than stressing.”