It is exactly 16 months ago today that Thomas Tuchel facetimed Dan Burn.
The recently appointed England boss ready to name his first ever England squad AND contacting the BDB to tell him he was included.
Yes, 13 March 2026 and who could have predicted the next 16 months for Dan Burn…
Three days after that Thomas Tuchel call, Dan Burn scored an astonishing headed goal at Wembley and was instrumental in Newcastle United lifting their first trophy in 56 years.
The following morning the lad from Blyth went to join up with the England squad for a first ever time.
He then gave a tremendous interview to the England media and went on to make his England debut on 21 March 2025 against Albania.
In the middle of all this, it was revealed by the PFA that Dan Burn was in the process of getting the coaching qualifications to be a coach/manager in the future.
Just thought this was all worth revisiting ahead of Dan Burn’s England preparing to take on Argentina this Wednesday night at 8pm (UK time).
PFA Interviewer – March 2025:
“Are you starting to think this could be your potential career [after retiring from playing]?”
Dan Burn:
“Yes, definitely. I think so.
“There is the potential to go onto the [UEFA] A License after this, which I will probably do.
“I think it is just knowing that I enjoy it.
“It think that it is something that you have got to be very passionate about, to do it at the top level.
“I think that is the next step for me, deciding if I have got that huge passion to do that.”
A leader on and off the pitch.
England’s newest call-up Dan Burn mic’d up in action on a UEFA B Licence course. 🎙️
📺 https://t.co/iMLKXei9HQ https://t.co/t9390Q9MXK pic.twitter.com/CMDHCSe1In
— PFA (@PFA) March 20, 2025
The Mag report – 19 March 2025:
The PFA have now revealed on Wednesday, that Dan Burn had also kicked off his ‘coaching journey’.
‘It’s been an incredible week for Dan Burn and we love to see it.
The Newcastle and England defender has recently started his coaching journey with the PFA on a bespoke UEFA B Licence course.’
Then we had the Dan Burn England Press Conference (Read/Watch below) ahead of his debut against Albania.
Here are some of the opening questions and answers from Dan Burn, well worth watching the full England press conference though. He speaks so well regarding England and Newcastle United.
Journalist:
“Huge congratulations first and foremost.
“But look, you have had 32 years on this planet and these recent days [must] have been the most extraordinary and the most emotional?”
Dan Burn:
“Yes, I have definitely had worse weeks I would say.
“It started off with the manager [Thomas Tuchel] FaceTiming me on Tuesday, saying that they were debating calling me up and he’d let me know by Thursday.
“And then it got to sort of six o’clock Thursday night and I’d not heard anything, so I said to my wife ‘I don’t think…nothing’s going to happen’ then I got a text saying ‘Are you still awake?’ at 10[pm].
“I was like ‘yes’ straightaway, facetimed and told me the good news.
“I did struggle to sleep, Thursday.”
Journalist:
“What did he [Thomas Tuchel] say to you?”
Dan Burn:
“He just said…well first of all he said I was very unprofessional for not being in bed for 10 o’clock! So I apologised for that.
“Then he just said he had been ringing everyone who hadn’t made the squad, so again, I didn’t think I was making it.
“And then he just said he needed to end the day on a good note, that he wanted me to be in the squad, just [saying] what he thought my strengths were.
“I explained when I spoke to him [on Tuesday], I said exactly the same to Eddie Howe when I signed for Newcastle, I said that I could offer just as much off the pitch as I do on it.
“I feel like I am a leader, on and off the pitch, I feel that I just sit into that role. I know it is going to be tough here, coming into all these international players, an I’ve never done that before.
“But that is how I feel I can best help the team and that is what I want to do.”
Journalist:
“Eddie Howe made it clear to us that he had given all of the Newcastle players pretty free rein on Sunday night – you’re not professional footballers tonight, but you had rather an important date the next morning here [with England]. How did all that play out?”
Dan Burn:
“Yes, it was strange.
“As soon as we left the stadium [Wembley], my focus was just completely switched to this [England]. I had my family and my kids, so we ended up getting on the bus back to the hotel about 12 o’clock and it was getting a bit rowdy, I was just ready to go to sleep.
“So, there will be time to celebrate [in the future]…
“I had waited a long time for this opportunity and I didn’t want to spoil it.”
Journalist:
“Thomas Tuchel has made a lot about your personality, how it is a massive strength of yours and he wants you to bring that into the England camp. So alongside your personality, what has he said that he wants you to bring to this group?”
Dan Burn:
“Listen, he spoke about me as a player as well.
“I have been playing well for a long time
“I’m not just coming in to sort of be a cheerleader and help the boys out.
“I want to play.
“I feel like I have got the ability to play at international level and I have said it for a long time.
“You need to be given those opportunities and in the past I haven’t been able to get that chance.
“Now I really just want to make the most of it, try to get on the pitch as much as possible.”
Go to 11.53 on the video below to watch Dan Burn giving his England press conference back in March 2025:
We’re live from St. George’s Park to hear from Dan Burn about an unbelievable past few days for the defender 🙌 https://t.co/14e9U8HEpP
— England (@England) March 18, 2025
Good luck Dan!