Lee Carsley’s bid for England’s permanent manager role took a serious knock on Thursday night, but he’s not losing sleep over it. In fact, he’s doubling down on his belief that England needs a fresh approach—whether he’s the one steering the ship or not.
With a crucial match against Finland looming, Carsley came out swinging. Yet, he also hinted that he might not even want the permanent role. The interim boss stressed that for England to win major trophies, they must avoid the “naive” mistake of sticking to the same old strategies that haven’t worked, especially after losing the last two Euro finals.
Speaking about his tactical misfire against Greece—which went horribly wrong and might have crushed his chances for the top job—Carsley was surprisingly calm. He even suggested he’d be happy returning to his under-21s role or staying on in the coaching staff if a new manager comes in. His comments certainly made it seem like he’s distancing himself from the permanent role.
“The last thing that’s important to me in all of this is me,” Carsley said with a shrug. “I don’t see this as an audition or some big opportunity. It’s a privilege, a massive responsibility. I’ve got three more games, and I just want to make sure the squad’s in a good spot, that we’ve seen what different players can do in different roles.”
Reflecting on England’s near-misses in major tournaments, he added, “We’ve been so close, and with a little more luck or belief, things could have gone differently. But right now, they haven’t. So, I feel like we’re on the verge of a breakthrough, and it’s my job to put us in a position to win. To just keep doing the same things and expect different results? That’s naive.”
Carsley’s stance was clear: he won’t end his interim stint with any “what ifs” hanging over him. “I don’t want to look back in a month and regret playing it safe,” he said. “This is a big opportunity for me, the staff, and the players to try something different.”
And while he’s focused on the short-term, Carsley is keeping the bigger picture in mind. “We’re looking ahead to World Cup qualification, and I think we’re seeing a lot of players now who’ve been successful with England at the youth levels,” he said. “If you look at those great Germany and Spain teams, they won together at the younger ages and carried that success forward. We might be heading into a similar period.”
As for the Football Association? They’ve kept quiet on the whole process and plan to do so until the Nations League concludes next month. While they haven’t started formal interviews, names like Eddie Howe, Graham Potter, Thomas Tuchel, and even Pep Guardiola have been tossed around as possible candidates.
Carsley, however, hasn’t applied for the job. He’s made it clear that he’s happy to return to the under-21s if things don’t work out. He also welcomed the criticism aimed at him after the Greece defeat, saying it took the pressure off his players. “Your instinct is to play it safe, to stick with what you know, but it was important for me to step out of my comfort zone,” he said. “I totally accept the criticism. I’m glad it’s been directed at me and not the players.”
With Carsley ready to face the heat and focused on the future, the next few games could define not just England’s Nations League hopes, but his own coaching path too.
