Paul Nevin believes the opportunity to join Gareth Southgate’s England coaching staff next month will have a “big impact” on him.
The Brighton & Hove Albion first team coach will support the Three Lions manager and his team when they take on USA and Croatia in a Wembley double-header.
And for Nevin, who has been in his role at Brighton alongside Chris Hughton since 2016, it’s an opportunity he couldn’t wait to take.
"When I got the call, I was absolutely delighted and feel it's a very privileged position,” he told TheFA.com.
"First and foremost, I'm very thankful to Gareth and The FA for the opportunity. I'm also thankful to Brighton as well, for allowing me the time to do this to help develop myself and gain new experience.
"Any coach at any level who invites you into the inner sanctum of how they work says something about your own character and hopefully the trust that Gareth has in me to preserve that environment."
After a playing career which took in spells with the likes of Shrewsbury Town, Carlisle United and Yeovil Town as well as four years in the USA, Nevin began his coaching journey with Fulham’s academy.
He spent eight years working with a variety of the junior and reserve teams at Craven Cottage, before heading to manage the New Zealand Knights in the Australian A-League for a season and then on to Qatar, where Nevin held a role at the Aspire Academy working with the Middle East nation’s young players and coaches.
Returning to England in 2013, he took a coaching role at Norwich City, where he first worked alongside Hughton, before joining the Premier League as head of coaching.
Now, he’s ready to enjoy his first experience of working with the England senior men’s team.
"This is a chance to work with the best players in the country,” added the 49-year-old.
"Obviously I see them week-to-week in the Premier League but working with them en-masse in a squad setting is going to be immense.
"Having had a brief experience of working at international youth development levels, it's a chance to see the final product that's coming through the system while working alongside the top coaches in the country.
"Being a part of that environment at the highest level of international football and looking at how they work and function will have the biggest impact on me."
Nevin is among the coaches who will enjoy a placement with England as part of a programme and initiative to solve the under-representation of BAME coaches in the game.
While he is with the seniors in November, former Wolves and Ipswich Town coach Terry Connor will be working with U21s boss Aidy Boothroyd as the Young Lions take on Andorra and Scotland this month.
And Nevin says the scheme can only help England in leading the way to provide opportunities for more coaches on the international stage.
"I previously had a spell working in coach development at the Premier League so I'm aware of the need to give opportunities to the quality BAME coaches out there," he said.
"And I think The FA are leading the way on that and are following through with what they said they would do and it's a great example for others to follow.
"Sometimes it's easier to give that exposure to coaches at the younger age groups but to do it at the very highest level in that environment speaks volumes about how serious The FA takes the issues of giving BAME coaches opportunities."
Tickets for England's games at Wembley with USA and Croatia are on sale, as well as the U21s' match with Andorra in Chesterfield.
