In the vast auditorium where England hold press conferences at Wembley, seats were full, the camera plinth so crammed some had to set up to one side, journalists from all over attending.
A squad that had received mixed reviews in the two hours since it had been announced in an FA YouTube video.
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Marcus Rashford’s return – okay, intriguing. A first call-up for 18-year-old Arsenal left-back Myles Lewis-Skelly – a glimmer of that excitement we had hoped for in his new era under the guidance of the ruthless, big-name manager.
Had Harry Maguire and John Stones been fit, Tuchel may as well have called up Kieran Trippier and got the old band Gareth Southgate had routinely turned to during his eight years back together.
England manager Thomas Tuchel held court at Wembley (Photo: PA)
The 51-year-old sat at the front, holding court, fiddling with a pair of thick-rimmed glasses he never actually put on, sipping water from a heavy whisky tumbler, for some reason that was never explained, although there was plenty to get through.
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Hence the Henderson decision.
He had weighed up the impact of speeding up a career already on fast-forward, of the responsibility of protecting him, of perhaps shielding him from the spotlight and letting him grow in the Under 21s. Probably before realising he had hardly any left-footers to choose from.
It drew a laugh from the crowd when he explained that he was surprised Burn, the 6ft 5ins defender, had been overlooked before. “He’s such a tall guy but obviously it’s easy to overlook him.”
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“Can we cross that bridge when we are at the river?” he replied when asked about dealing with the climate in the USA, a tournament England only start the campaign to qualify for next Friday.
Tuchel revealed how “surreal” it was to be sat there as the first German manager of the England team, of the “honour”.
“I try to be offline when it comes to opinions and judgements about myself and the squad,” he explained. “I try to not read and not get involved.”
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Southgate, equally, was often infuriated by his team selection and formations being leaked in the days before matches, complaining of the advantage it ceded.
It was the only moment he looked even gently ruffled.
“Done?” Tuchel asked, sounding almost surprised, as though he would happily carry on answer questioning about football forever.
Finished, for now. But also only just getting started.
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