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Lee Carsley has been appointed as England’s interim head coach and will take charge of the team’s September Nations League friendlies.
The 50-year-old moves from his role as the Three Lions’ U21s manager and will take charge of England’s games against the Republic of Ireland and Finland next month and will name his first squad on August 29.
However, the FA have added Carsley could remain in the position “throughout autumn while the recruitment process for a new permanent head coach continues”.
“It’s an honour to step up and lead this England squad on an interim basis,” Carsley said. “As I am very familiar with the players and the cycle of international football, it makes sense for me to guide the team while The FA continues the process to recruit a new manager.
“My main priority is to ensure continuity and our goal is to secure promotion in the UEFA Nations League.”
Meanwhile, FA chief executive Mark Bullingham added: “Lee is a fantastic coach who is well known to the majority of our current senior squad having worked with most at international or club level.
“He offers us a very strong interim solution and we are confident he will perform well in the UEFA Nations League games ahead. We are grateful to Lee for stepping up to manage the team while we continue with our recruitment process.”
Carsley, who led the U21s side to European Championship glory last year, replaces Gareth Southgate, who stood down days after the Euro 2024 final loss to Spain last month.
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Sky Sports News reported this week the FA have yet to speak formally to many of the candidates on their shortlist. It is clear the governing body will take its time to make the right appointment.
Eddie Howe, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino and Kieran McKenna remain on the list of possible candidates – alongside Carsley – and while the next England manager doesn’t have to be English, it is thought FA chief executive Mark Bullingham would prefer a home-grown option.
Carsley won 40 caps with Republic of Ireland as a player, and he has been an English FA employee for the past four years, working with both the U20s and U21s.
It is not clear whether Carsley wants the job long-term, but it could be seen as the perfect audition for both him and the FA. Southgate followed the same path to the top job. He was promoted from the U21s in 2016, and given four games in interim charge before then being given a four-year contract as the new England manager.
In Carsley’s absence, Ben Futcher will take charge of the U21s.
Rooney: I want Pep but Carsley deserves his chance
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Former England captain Wayne Rooney says Carsley deserves his chance as interim manager – but named Pep Guardiola as his ideal pick for the role.
The Manchester City manager has one year left on his contract at the Etihad Stadium and, in a press conference on Friday, spoke about international football being a possible option for him.
And Rooney added that Guardiola’s style of play would be perfect for an England side looking to end a 60-year trophy drought at the 2026 World Cup.
“I’d like Pep, to be honest! England, now, have to strive for the best managers and obviously Pep would be great, the way he gets his teams playing,” Plymouth manager Rooney told Sky Sports News in EFL 72 Live.
“But Lee Carsley deserves his opportunity. He was a player with me at Everton when we were both younger. He’s a really good person and a good coach. He did really well with the Under-21sand it was a similar pathway to Gareth Southgate.
“He deserves his opportunity and if he does well, you never know. Maybe you’re looking at the next manager. But where we’re looking at now, I’d like to see Pep.
“I’ve said that [it doesn’t have to be an English coach] in the past, I thought Sven Goran-Eriksson did a really good job but then under [Fabio] Capello it wasn’t as enjoyable. So it does impact your thinking.
“But now we’ve had Roy Hodgson, Gareth Southgate and Sam Allardyce for one game. We’re so close to winning something, so Pep with his experience of winning trophies would be good.”
Meanwhile, Burnley manager Scott Parker – who won 18 caps for England – told Sky Sports News: “I’ve not come across Lee too much personally, but he’s been in the system and done an incredible job with the U21s.
“The guys at the FA want that continuity I suppose. I wish nothing but all the best for Lee, he’s coming into something where Gareth did an incredible job and left us in a really strong position as a football nation.”
Who is Lee Carsley?
Carsley held a long, established career in the Premier League – playing 282 times in the top flight. He retired at Coventry in 2011 and joined the club’s backroom staff.
Carsley’s first managerial stints saw him have two caretaker spells as Coventry manager in 2012 and 2013. He was also Brentford’s caretaker manager between September and December 2015, before Dean Smith took the reins.
During his time as temporary Brentford manager, he won the Championship Manager of the Month award for October.
Carsley then moved to Manchester City to become U18s manager, before joining former club Birmingham in 2018 as Head Professional Development Coach. When Harry Redknapp was sacked by Birmingham in 2017, Carsley took over as interim manager for two weeks.
In 2020, Carsley joined the England youth set-up as England U20s coach which he held for a year before becoming U21s manager in July 2021. Two years later, he guided England U21s to European Championships glory, the Young Lions’ first trophy since 1984.
