Morgan Gibbs-White believes Lee Carsley has enough tactical and personnel management talent to take on the full-time England manager role. The Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder knows Carsley well, having played under him at England Under-21 level, a relationship which began in November 2021.
Carsley has handed Gibbs-White 15 of his 18 appearances for the Under-21s and deployed him in the no.10 role when the team won the European Championships last summer.
Carsley has given Gibbs-White his first international call-up as England prepare for their first match as caretaker manager, against the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Saturday. England play Finland at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday. Carsley will continue in charge through the international break in October and November and could be appointed Gareth Southgate's permanent successor if he performs well.
“I know what he does,” Gibbs-White said, “he's brilliant tactically and as a manager so I was excited when I heard he got the job. He really deserves it and I felt it was a good fit for him. Hopefully these games go well for him and who knows what the future holds after that. He told me to just be myself and express myself and that's why I got called up.”
Gibbs-White enjoyed a decorated career through England's youth teams and was part of Steve Cooper's Under-17 World Cup-winning squad in 2017. Angel Gomes and Emile Smith Rowe also won that tournament and the European Under-21 Championship, with Carsley including Gomes in his senior squad.
“In terms of that winning mentality at the age group level, winning trophies, winning tournaments … I hope I can bring that to this team,” Gibbs-White said.
Gibbs-White is the first Forest player to be called up to the England squad since Stuart Pearce in 1997 but is aware the absence of Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden increases his chances of making his debut in the coming week. The first two are injured and Foden is ill.
After newsletter promotion
“They're probably the three best players in the world so it's both a good and bad thing to be behind them,” Gibbs-White said. “I just need to focus on doing what I do best and hopefully my opportunities will come.”
