Newcastle United defender Dan Burn believes former Three Lions head coach Gareth Southgate previously overlooked him after receiving his first England call-up for their FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia.
Burn has been in outstanding form for the Magpies this season, playing a key role for Eddie Howe’s men as they push for Champions League qualification ahead of next season while also being instrumental in ending the club’s 70-year wait for a major trophy with a Carabao Cup triumph over Liverpool.
The 32-year-old defender bagged the first goal in Newcastle’s 2-1 victory over the Reds at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, making him the third-oldest English player to score in a Carabao Cup final, behind Chelsea’s John Terry in 2015 (34 years, 84 days) and Stoke City’s George Eastham in 1972 (35 years, 163 days).
Burn’s performances this season have finally earned him a place in the Three Lions setup and despite being a first-timer, the towering defender is eyeing a significant role under new England national team manager ThomasTuchel.
“He [Thomas Tuchel] said I’ve been playing well for a long time. I’m not just coming in to be a cheerleader – I want to play,” Burn said.
“I’ve got a good few years in me, no retirement yet! I think I have been overlooked, but I understood it – what Gareth did to bring England from where it was to where it is now.
“In my opinion, he treated it more like a club, which worked well for them. It wasn’t like it was back in the day.
“It was about the togetherness, but that worked against me a little bit. So, when the new manager came in, it was kind of a new slate. Luckily, the new manager has taken a chance on me and I want to grasp the opportunity.”
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