Thomas Tuchel spent five months planning his first England squad.
There were some frustrations from a coach used to being around players constantly at club level from Paris Saint-Germain to Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
“I missed the dressing room humour,” he said in response to a Sky News question today at Wembley.
But the first German manager of the England team already feels he’s learning new sides to him – and improving even at 51.
“It was the experience I was excited for,” he said. “And the cherry on top comes now when the players come into camp.”
And that big squad reveal showed he’s just focused on the big prize – winning the World Cup – by turning to veterans.
Progress, and ultimately success, in North America next summer will determine whether he stays on into a home European Championship in 2028.
That could explain the lack of a radical squad overhaul. If anything, it’s less daring than during the six-match Lee Carsley interim reign.
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An appearance against Albania next Friday would put 490 days between England appearances for the former Liverpool captain.
Now back from the comparative Saudi wilderness in the Dutch league with Ajax, two starts in the last nine matches were enough to put the midfielder on Tuchel’s list as a “pretty easy” pick.
The 34-year-old’s “leadership, character, personality, energy” embodies the mission for Gareth Southgate’s successor.
Another veteran of Southgate’s run to the Euro 2020 final – Marcus Rashford – is back in the fold after being discarded for last year’s Euros and the latest losing final.
Still only 27, the 60-cap striker is in a more welcoming environment again at Aston Villa after falling out of favour at Manchester United.
Despite being without a Villa goal since starting his loan last month, the four assists were enough to convince Tuchel of his credentials again. Helped by a nudge from the most famous of England and Villa fans – Prince William – with a direct line to the England boss.
“He has a strong opinion,” Tuchel said.
One decision Tuchel did not dwell on was the holder of the captain’s armband.
It stays with Harry Kane. Not the moment to disrupt the leadership group with the striker, despite banging in the goals for Bayern Munich and sure of his England place despite doubts over his contributions later in tournaments.
So this can seem like going back to familiar territory even though Tuchel is in unfamiliar territory in international management trying to build on Southgate’s eight years at the helm.
This seems, I asked Tuchel, more like continuity than a revolution.
The reply gave an insight into the balancing act when picking an international squad. It’s not necessarily just the 26 eligible players in the best form but how they gel for brief international camps and weeks away at tournaments.
“What we are looking for are on the values, how we want to build a squad and what we think you have to bring to the table to be picked,” Tuchel said.
“There are different types of categories being picked. You can be picked on form and availability, on responsibility, on leadership, on personality.
“You may be picked because someone else gets injured. There are different reasons. But in the end it is about building a strong group.
“And in the end, the question is what you bring besides your talent, besides you being a top professional.”
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Ultimately, it’s about how you improve the team as a collective.
That means Newcastle defender Dan Burn, 32, also finally gets his chance with his first England call-up.
Versatile Myles Lewis-Skelly,18, is fast-tracked into the England seniors, having never played for the Under-21s after his rapid progress at Arsenal.
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Qualifying should not be the problematic part – with Albania, Serbia, Latvia and Andorra in the group.
The trickiest part of his first squad unveiling news conference was letting down the travelling pack of German journalists by sticking to English.
There is an English media and public to charm now to bring football home.
