The dust is now starting to settle on Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins' Euro 2024 campaign.

On one hand, this was the Villa star's first major tournament and one that he should be proud of, but on the other, it ended in a crushing defeat to Spain in the final.

Since then, Ollie Watkins has issued a defiant England message after Gareth Southgate resigned and now Aston Villa's Player of the Season will rest up.

When the 28-year-old returns to club action, he will be planning to play in the Champions League for the first time and hoping to take his game to even higher heights under Unai Emery.

John Barnes has been in Watkins' shoes, repped England and that at a major tournament.

The former Liverpool winger was speaking about being part of the England team that took part in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, including that infamous game and defeat to Argentina.

Diego Maradona scored two of the most-talked-about goals in the history of the game, the 'Hand of God' goal and also the 'Goal of the century'.

Barnes was on the bench for that match, and just like Watkins, he was asked to come on late to try and change things up - Sir Bobby Robson was in charge back then.

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The ex-England man explained how players like Watkins impressed him at this summer's tournament because they were 'ready' to come on from the bench and 'they didn't sulk.

Barnes compared it to his situation in 86, how he was the same because 'the very fact that I am even going to come on for ten minutes or 14 minutes against Diego Maradona really why I was so up for it', as he told talkSPORT.

Ollie Watkins at Euro 2024 with England "Whoever eyes Bobby Robson catches, he used to say 'go and warm up'," said Barnes. "I am now warming up in 100-degree heat. He is now forgetting you are warming up, so I am running up and down. I am sweating cobs. I am thinking I am going on, then he looks at me and goes 'what are you doing, son?' So, I sat back down.

"This happened for the first three or four matches. After a while, nobody wanted to look at Bobby because he would say 'go and get warmed up'. Eventually, with 14 minutes to go (against Argentina), I am thinking 'I am not going to get on'. He said 'get warmed up'. I didn't even have my boots on.

"As much as these players now. The best thing about these players, who come on, they were ready to come on. Two minutes, Olle Watkins. Ivan Toney. They didn't sulk. They were ready to come on. Why I was so delighted to come on, without thinking I should have been on before, is because it's a World Cup, it's passing you by, we are going out, we are 2-0 down and I haven't been on the pitch. Just for the very fact that I am even going to come on for ten minutes or 14 minutes against Diego Maradona really why I was so up for it."

He does have to impress a new manager and nobody is the wiser as to who that will be, but carry on performing for Villa, then there is no reason why he shouldn't continue to get picked.

Just like at Villa Park, Watkins will be hoping the Football Association appoint an attacking manager that can, not just get the best out of him, but also his teammates.

The crop of attacking talent England have to choose from is crazy, but it has still only resulted in back-to-back final defeats.