Keane, left, is a defender who is comfortable with the ball at his feet

Michael Keane will earn his fifth England cap tomorrow, but had it not been for Bill Kenwright, the Everton defender might not have been anywhere near Gareth Southgate’s squad this week.

On the face of it, Keane, 25, seems a natural fit for Southgate’s team: a composed and authoritative centre back, who is as comfortable with the ball at his feet as he is when challenging for it in the air. But this time last year, after being part of an Everton team that had conceded 14 goals in four games, Keane looked anything but an England player.

His confidence was so low that he blamed himself for three Everton managers losing their jobs last season. “There were a few months when things were going