England boss Roy Hodgson is preparing to sling Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain "in at the deep end" to see if he can cut it at Euro 2012.
The 18-year-old was named in Hodgson's 23-man squad on Wednesday, despite only starting six Barclays Premier League games for Arsenal.
It triggers memories of Theo Walcott being handed a spot at the 2006 World Cup by Sven-Goran Eriksson despite not playing a single game for the Gunners.
As it turned out, Walcott never made it onto the pitch in Germany.
Hodgson is optimistic his experiment with Oxlade-Chamberlain will have a better outcome.
"It won't be easy for him to break into the team but the only way I'll find out is to sling him in at the deep end," he said.
"Even if he doesn't swim now, he'll learn to swim in the future.
"I wouldn't have chosen him if I didn't think he was ready to start games."
If Hodgson is taking a calculated gamble with Oxlade-Chamberlain, he has invested plenty of trust in Liverpool's Andy Carroll.
The suspension that rules star man Wayne Rooney out for the first two group games places more emphasis on the striking department.
And, by ignoring the claims of Peter Crouch and Darren Bent, Carroll is the only target man.
However, Hodgson did need to speak with Kenny Dalglish first.
"The conversation with Kenny put my mind to rest with regards to the criticism he's faced for extra-footballing activities," he said.
"That was very important for me."
Hodgson confirmed that Michael Carrick had been overlooked because the Manchester United midfielder had expressed a desire to remain at home.
That does not amount to a retirement, although, with the likes of Jack Wilshere and Jack Rodwell set to be available for next season's World Cup qualifiers, it is difficult to see when Carrick's services will be required again.
Scott Parker remains a doubt, although Hodgson does expect the injection he had into an Achilles injury on Monday will allow him to take up his place.
Although Hodgson spoke at various times of being "parachuted in" to the job, he has already made some significant decisions.
Recruiting Gary Neville as part of his coaching team is one, abandoning a planned training camp in Spain next week another.
Instead, with the exception of the Chelsea's Champions League final bound players and Wayne Rooney, who have been given additional time off, England's squad will gather in Manchester on Wednesday to begin preparations for the friendly with Norway on May 26.
"I can't deny if I'd been working with this team for two years, I'd feel in a superior position to the one I'm in now," said Hodgson.
"But I'm really excited about the task and the senior players I've spoken to, who have one or two tournaments behind them and one or two disappointments, would tell you we can win it."
Full England squad for Euro 2012:
Goalkeepers - Green (West Ham), Hart (Man City) Ruddy (Norwich).
Defenders - Baines (Everton), Cahill (Chelsea), Cole (Chelsea), Johnson (Liverpool), Jones (Man Utd), Lescott (Man City), Terry (Chelsea).
Midfielders - Barry (Man City), Downing (Liverpool), Gerrard (Liverpool), Lampard (Chelsea), Milner (Man City), Parker (Tottenham), Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Walcott (Arsenal), Young (Man Utd).
Forwards - Carroll (Liverpool), Rooney (Man Utd), Welbeck (Man Utd), Defoe (Tottenham).
