When Thomas Tuchel was told he'd succeed Gareth Southgate and was unveiled as England manager 150 days go, his objective was startlingly clear: win next year's World Cup and end the trophy drought that has afflicted the men's national team for longer than the 51-year-old German has been alive.
What was less clear, was how Tuchel would set about his task.
But on Friday morning - in naming his first squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia - Tuchel gave us his answer: experience.
The former Chelsea boss has called up two players who might have thought their England days were over, and one who surely felt it would never begin.
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| Marcus Rashford is back after a 12-month absence that saw him miss last summer’s European championships. Credit: AP |
Dan Burn, the Newcastle United centre back, makes an England squad for the first time at 32 years old, with Tuchel reportedly impressed by his versatility.
The headline writers will focus on Marcus Rashford - born again in the claret and blue of Aston Villa, after a move from Manchester United in January - who is back after a 12-month absence that saw him miss last summer’s European championships.
But it’s Jordan Henderson, once a pillar of Southgate’s England but uncapped since November 2023, whose inclusion is the most striking.
Henderson debuted for England in 2010, and has played more than 80 games, but a brief and disappointing spell in the Saudi Pro League, followed by a move to the Dutch side Ajax, led those who lacked his self-belief to write him off.
There had been speculation before this week that Tuchel’s short contract would lead him to lean on a “Dad’s Army” of England talent.
A first time call up for Arsenal’s teenage defender Myles Lewis-Skully will temper any of that criticism.
And other England stalwarts like Harry Maguire and John Stone are missing through injury.
But this is a new (older) looking England.
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