Ex-Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Jason Steele has reflected on his time at Ewood Park with Paul Robinson and David Raya as he continues a mentoring role in the England squad.
Steele, now 36, travelled with the national team as a training goalkeeper for the World Cup in America. He has been named in Thomas Tuchel's squad for this camp too, though as a recognised third-choice goalkeeper.
Despite being an official member of the squad, his role will not change much with the focus on helping Jordan Pickford and James Trafford, at opposite ends of the scale, to continue developing.
Speaking exclusively to The England Pod, Steele reflected on his learnings at Ewood Park and his first encounters with David Raya, who will be in Spain's squad to face England on Saturday.
"Paul was probably in a different place to where I am right now," he explained on Robinson.
"He was coming to the end of his career at Blackburn but he was definitely a shoulder to lean on.
"He was all for helping with loads of things. I'd always ask him questions and he'd be happy to help.
"He was at a different stage of his career to me. I still have my own ambitions, and I want to keep improving.
"Whilst that is my mindset, I will hopefully be an asset."
"He was a really young kid when I was there with him," he added on Raya.
"I got on really well with him. You could see even back then that he was super talented and he had a great skillset.
"You have seen that at Arsenal in the last season or two as well."
In the unlikely event Steele was to be capped, he would be the oldest England debutant since 1973.
"I haven't really thought about it," he smiled.
"At this stage, I am just preparing for every scenario, which I try to do every day. Try to be ready, take my opportunities when I do play.
"Most important for me is to be the best team-mate I can be, on and off the pitch. How can I help people? How can I help them or myself get better?"
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