England appoint Carsley as interim coach for Nations League fixtures

Lee Carsley has been appointed interim England head coach for next month’s Nations League fixtures versus the Republic of Ireland and Finland.

The Football Association (FA) has been searching for a new England boss for the first time since 2016, with Gareth Southgate resigning in the aftermath of the Three Lions’ Euro 2024 final loss to Spain.

Pep Guardiola, Mauricio Pochettino, Graham Potter and Eddie Howe have been linked with the post, but the FA is keen to take its time over a full-time appointment.

With that in mind, Carsley has been handed the job on an interim basis, initially just for next month’s fixtures but with the potential to extend his remit into the coming months.

Carsley has been England Under-21 manager since 2021 and led the team to European Championship glory last year, beating Spain 1-0 in the final.

The likes of Anthony Gordon, Jarrad Branthwaite and Cole Palmer were part of Carsley’s squad at that tournament and have since made the step up to the senior side.

England face the Republic of Ireland in their Nations League opener in Dublin on September 7 before hosting Finland three days later, having been relegated from the competition’s top tier in 2022.

Lee Carsley has been appointed interim head coach of the #ThreeLions ahead of the start of our #NationsLeague campaign.

— England (@England) August 9, 2024

Carsley, who was born in Birmingham but won 40 international caps for the Republic of Ireland during his playing career, said: “It’s an honour to step up and lead this England squad on an interim basis.

“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.”

With Carsley making the step up, Ben Futcher will oversee the under-21’s Euro 2025 qualifiers versus Northern Ireland and Austria next month, with backroom staff for both teams set to be confirmed in the coming weeks.