Dan Burn: ideal fit for Thomas Tuchel’s England or ticking time bomb?

There weren’t many silver linings for Newcastle as they crashed to a heavy defeat at Brentford before the international break.

From a neutral perspective, however, and perhaps even from the viewpoint of his manager Eddie Howe, the reaction of Dan Burn to his 73rd-minute dismissal was one of them.

That might seem an odd thing to say, given that the defender’s last-ditch challenge on Brentford winger Dango Ouattara cost his side a penalty and, more arguably, the match. Yet Burn’s dignified response to a moment of adversity offered a reminder that he is a class act.  

Despite this season’s introduction of a rule only allowing captains to approach the referee about major decisions, whining and whimpering over perceived injustices remains a wearyingly familiar sight in the Premier League. So there was much to admire about Burn’s reaction to a second poor challenge on Ouattara in the space of a few minutes, a transgression that earned the hosts a spot kick and the Newcastle man a second yellow card.

Burn knew immediately he was in the wrong. Rather than remonstrating with Stuart Attwell, as is the modern way, he offered a quick nod of acceptance and walked. Burn conducts himself like he defends: without nonsense. It is a refreshing quality and it is no doubt one of the reasons, beyond his appeal as a robust and reliable addition to the back line, that the 33-year-old remains in contention for a place in England’s World Cup squad next summer. 

Just the kind of ‘good citizen’ England need?

Thomas Tuchel has talked repeatedly of the need for his players to be “good citizens” who can rub along with everyone in the dressing room. That sense of comradeship will be particularly important among those not involved in England’s first XI, of whom Burn is highly likely to be one if selected. 

No one wants to share a dinner table, or worse yet a room, with someone too fixated on their own situation to be a good team-mate or make a positive contribution to the mood within the camp. It is one of the reasons Jude Bellingham’s inclusion in Tuchel’s plans cannot yet be taken for granted. The Real Madrid man’s show of frustration at being substituted against Albania last week was merely the latest example of the kind of attitude Tuchel is eager to curb. 

Where Burn is concerned, the German need have no concerns on that score. The very archetype of the proverbial gentle giant, the 6ft 7in stopper combines competitive spirit with a naturally down-to-earth nature. He eschews fancy hair-dos and elaborately manicured facial hair. His phone number remains the same as it was when he was a 16-year-old working in a supermarket, still harbouring the disappointment of being released by Newcastle at the age of 11. Burn takes nothing for granted.

In short, Burn is exactly the type of player Tuchel wants in his squad. It is ironic, then, that the biggest obstacle between the defender and a place on the plane to the US, Canada and Mexico next year is likely to be the very thing he is best at: his football. Or, more specifically, his quality on the ball. Burn has completed four of his five matches for England to date, namely the home and away World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Albania; in each of those games, he had the most touches. 

In Tirana on Sunday, Burn had 114 touches and completed all but four of his 102 passes. They are impressive figures, until you consider that one of the passes he missed almost allowed Albania attacker Arbër Hoxha to open the scoring. The concern is that opposing teams, hopeful of eliciting such a lapse, are deliberately pressing in a manner that allows Burn to get on the ball, much as Manchester City did against Liverpool on the eve of the international break, when Ibrahima Konaté had more possession than was healthy for his team’s prospects of success.  

Dan Burn: ‘I feel like I’ve been doubted a lot over my career’

Only Tuchel can decide whether it is a weakness worrying enough to cost Burn his place alongside John Stones, Marc Guéhi and Ezri Konsa. Burn undoubtedly brings a lot to England. While he has been deployed by Tuchel in his natural position as a centre-back, the defender plays at left-back for his club and so offers another option in what has been a problem position. He is a leader. As his astonishing headed Champions League goal against Athletic Bilbao earlier this month demonstrated, he is a force to be reckoned with in both boxes. And his passion for his country is beyond question.

“I feel like I’ve been doubted a lot over my career,” Burn said on first being called up in March. “There’s not a lot of people at [his first senior club] Darlington who would say I’d be sat here doing a press conference for England. I’ve waited a long time for this opportunity.

“Every little kid’s dream is to play in a World Cup. I’d never played any international football, and I did think it had passed us by at 32. But when the new manager came in, it was that feeling of, you never know.”

And if things don’t pan out as Burn hopes? Expect nothing more controversial than a polite nod of acknowledgement.