'I've known for a couple of days' - Dan Burn opens up on World Cup call-up

Newcastle United defender Dan Burn is heading to North America this summer to represent England at the World Cup.

As far as football fairytales go, Dan Burn's has to be up there. The 6'7" defender has grafted harder than anyone to get here and we are absolutely buzzing for him.

Having represented Darlington and Yeovil Town, it hasn't always looked like Burn was destined for the top, and even he admitted that he never expected to represent his boyhood club, Newcastle, especially when the PIF-backed takeover went through.

Burn admitted after signing for his beloved Newcastle that he thought any chance he may have had went when the new ambitious owners came in, but Eddie Howe thought differently and brought the big man in as one of his first signings, and Burn hasn't looked back since.

Eddie Howe has a great track record of developing players to their full potential, and Burn has to be counted as one of those successes. After all, without Howe's help, it's highly unlikely that Burn would ever have been called up for England, let alone selected to go to a World Cup.

Dan Burn is 'buzzing' to be part of the World Cup squad

Burn has spoken to Sky Sports' Keith Downie after Thomas Tuchel's England squad announcement, where he admitted he's known for a couple of days and that he always felt confident he would get the call.

“I’m buzzing. I’m glad Friday is here. I’ve known for a couple of days and I’ve not been able to say anything to anyone. I got a text to say he (Tuchel) would call me between 4 & 6 so I was sat by my phone for hours.

“When I first got called up last year, it was shock, I wasn’t expecting it. But this time I’ve been pretty confident about it.

“It’s a bit like us (Newcastle) winning the Cup Final. I’ve dreamt of it that much in my head since I was a kid, that when it happened I didn’t know how to feel about it. It’ll sink in when I start reading all the messages.

“I’m 34, but I’m not going into it with the unknown. I’ve played over 500 games now and I think whenever I’ve had to step up in competiton I’ve done well. I’m not going there worried or anything, I’m going there full of confidence and I want to help the team in however I’m asked to.”

Will Burn get many minutes?

We've not always been the kindest to Burn (at least I wasn't on NUFCFEED), but that was when he was playing as a left back and he looked so out of his depth. In a central defender role, we feel he is much better, so hopefully, if he gets on the pitch at all this summer, that's where he'll be deployed.

We don't expect Burn to get a lot of minutes at the tournament. It definitely feels like he'll be back up to a couple of more established options, but we know he'll give everything for the shirt when called upon.

Massive congratulations to Big Dan Burn. Go and do us proud. HE'S FROM BLYYYYYTH!