Lee Carsley heads into Sunday's Nations League game against Finland in Helsinki with serious doubts as to whether he wants the England manager job permanently.
The 50-year-old stepped up from interim under-21 international responsibilities until November and played in all six senior Nations League group games, including wins over the Republic of Ireland in Dublin and Finland at Wembley. . in September before a heavy loss at home to Greece on Thursday.
Despite persistent questions about his aspirations and intentions to replace Gareth Southgate on a full-time basis and lead his country into 2026 World Cup qualification, he was purely trying to focus on the six games. .
The Football Association insisted it was overseeing a secret process to appoint the next permanent manager. They haven't given any indication of their progress.
Carsley said he would “hopefully go back to the Under-21s” after his interim spell ended, especially after the defeat to Greece, but he found himself in a few tight spots along the way. Carsley was asked to clarify his comments at a pre-match press conference in Helsinki on Saturday night.
“Hope is a word or phrase I use a lot,” he said. “It is clear that there are no guarantees in life, including tomorrow.” [against Finland]. This is the work of young people under the age of 21, and I'm really proud of it and I'm very invested in it. However, we understand that there are no guarantees. The plan is for me and the rest of the staff to do everything I can to give this job the best of my ability during the three camps and hopefully we'll be in a good position. ”
Carsley was asked if he was looking to get a permanent job following the home win against Finland. “Can I live with that? I think I can live with that,” he answered after a pause, not seeming completely convinced.
In the game against Greece, he started without wearing the recognized number 9, used many attacking midfielders, and showed a lack of team cohesion and defensive stability, resulting in an unconventional performance. The criticism that followed was harsh. And the mood music surrounding Carsley is changing, in part due to the briefing he gave to the British press in Helsinki.
Kearsley, who won in September, was expected to lose his main job. But when he spoke to journalists here, he sounded almost like a regular development coach. We want to push our players, so look for fresh angles with them. He really sounded as if he was ready to return to the U-21 team.
“The most important thing to me in this whole process is me,” Carsley said. “The reason I believe I've done so well in coaching is because people know it's not about me. It's about the players, the environment, the culture. There's something different about me. When they try things out, they can understand that I'm trying it to bring out the best in teams and individuals.
“I don't look at this as an audition or the biggest opportunity I've ever had. I look at it as a privilege and an incredible responsibility. I still have three games left. I want to make sure the team is in a really good position and I've seen different players play in different positions.
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“There's probably a reason why I resisted getting into senior football and managing at club level, and that's because I really enjoy this aspect of the game, the development of players and the journey they go on. I've tried to distance myself from the feeling that 'it's my job to lose or gain.'
Carsley also told talkSPORT that he had not formally applied for a permanent role with England. “No, I haven't officially applied,” he says, before saying it's one of the best jobs in world football. “I believe our new coach has a good chance to win and we deserve the best.”
Mr Carsley has spoken extensively about the need to try different things during his tenure, as not everything was good enough for the coveted since 1966 when England won the World Cup, the only men's major trophy. spoke.
But his immediate priority is to get a reaction from the Greece-Finland debacle. The good news is that captain Harry Kane is back to fitness. He missed the game against Greece with a groin problem. Jack Grealish is also available after a minor issue. Bukayo Saka has not played since coming on as a substitute against Greece with a hamstring strain.
“We're always looking for the next big thing when something really good is right in front of us,” Kearsley said. “We should be grateful for what we have in front of us with Harry. Is he still irreplaceable? He has proven that in the past with the influence he has had.”
