Lee Carsley: England's interim manager impresses in first press conference - Reporter Notebook

29 August 2024, 17:47 | Updated: 29 August 2024, 20:07

Lee Carsley has already won a major international trophy, and so if he is to be the next senior England manager, his biggest job is to convince the FA bosses he can be the ambassador they need in front of the media.

To that end, Carsley's first news conference as interim boss was a big success.

He sounded like an interim manager, not a caretaker manager. A subtle difference, but one that was accentuated when Carsley said he wanted to put his stamp on the team.

His international coaching pedigree was on full show when Carsley's U21s won the European Championships last summer. He already has the respect and buy-in of England's younger players. If he were an international youth manager in France or Spain, that would probably be enough for him to get the top job. In England, however, the demands are different.

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Carsley's predecessor, Gareth Southgate, followed exactly the same route - U21s manager, then interim senior boss. By the end, Southgate looked like a broken man, after being subjected to some pointed abuse. Carsley insists he is ready to face that, as his predecessor did. But Southgate was also a brilliant politician and public speaker.

The reluctant interviewee impresses under pressure

Being men's senior England manager is so much more than just a coach's role. It demands the incumbent is comfortable and eloquent speaking on some very difficult subjects (in the Southgate era think racism, think human rights in Qatar).

They must also be an ambassador for the governing body of the national sport, a diplomat and a first-rate man-manager. The fortunate victim needs to be resilient, defiant, strong-minded and forthright. It is in these areas, you feel, where FA chief executive Mark Bullingham will be watching Carsley closely.

As a player, Carsley didn't enjoy doing media interviews. He knew it was a necessary evil, something that went with the job. But you would never describe him as someone who was a natural interviewee. He got better, and more comfortable, when he was caretaker manager at Coventry, Brentford and Birmingham, and with the lower-profile role as manager of England's U21s

Here at St George's Park, when Carsley was sitting in the fieriest of managerial hot seats for the first time, he grew into the media discussion nicely.

For the first few questions, he'd clearly written a few notes in preparation, and there was an occasional glance down to the safety blanket that was his iPad. But his opening gambit was impressive, as he talked expansively of his obvious pride in taking on the country's top football job.

And as the football questions flowed from the floor, Carsley became more and more engaging, and even seemed to be enjoying the debate. He adroitly side-stepped my question on whether he wants the job long-term - though he clearly does want it.

When the same question came at him again, later in the news conference, he laughed it off with the words: "I think I need to win a few games first, don't you?!" The assembled media responded with a warm giggle of their own.

Moving on from Southgate's ways

He said in his very first answer that he wouldn't be a slave to Southgate's ideas and squad selections - though he repeatedly paid due deference to his predecessor, his support and comradery, and the job he had done in taking England so close to a major trophy. Diplomat? Tick. Self-confident? Yup.

Carsley didn't shy away from the expectation of the role, either: whoever is the next England manager, he said, the objective is clear - to deliver a major tournament victory. The pool of available players, he asserted, is worthy of that. The FA's technical director, John McDermott, would have approved of that sentiment.

And Carsley's first squad selection proved he is ready to make the big calls. There was no easy return for Marcus Rashford or James Maddison, but they were still very much in his thoughts, he said. It's just that other players are more ready to step up for these Nations League games. Jack Grealish did get the nod to come back, but Carsley said "he has a point to prove".

Would Trent Alexander-Arnold be a defender or a midfielder in his plans? "He's a right-back," came the definitive response. Although Carsley pointed out that, as the epitome of a brilliant ball-playing full-back, the Liverpool man would be allowed to influence the play further forward too, as he does for his club.

At a stroke he made his position clear on many of the controversies that had outlasted the end of his predecessor's era.

On the day when one of Southgate's leaders and most reliable players, Kieran Trippier, called time on his international career - this was no knee-jerk reaction to missing out on an England squad, by the way - the Newcastle man had made the decision shortly after the Euros final, I understand - Carsley was clear he still needed experience and quality in his ranks.

That strong England spine of Jordan Pickford, James Maguire, John Stones, Declan Rice and Harry Kane still looms large in this England squad, and will almost certainly form the backbone of Carsley's first starting XI, in Dublin next weekend.

Maguire's recall after the injury that denied him his chance in Germany was particularly pointed. Carsley said he would rely on the strength and leadership of him and Stones.

England U21 experience results in refreshing influx of youth

Carsley has also put faith in the thrusting new young guns of English football, who will outstay those mainstays. Five members of Carsley's U21s got the nod for the senior squad - four of them, promoted to the senior squad for the first time.

Morgan Gibbs-White - who captained the junior team under Carsley - was one of those, selected ahead of Maddison in the No 10 role, in the absence of the injured Jude Bellingham. Carsley was glowing in his description of the Nottingham Forest playmaker, who he said was: "energetic, creative, exciting, had a brilliant attitude and work rate, was difficult to play against."

He also pointed out that Gibbs-White has been successful for England already in terms of silverware, and that should not be overlooked.

The tactical appreciation Carsley offered for Angel Gomes was fascinating. His diminutive stature provides him an advantage, the England boss said, when combined with his brilliant balance and ability on the ball. Similar astute analysis was offered of another debutant, Noni Madueke.

Carsley said that - having dipped his toe in club management - international coaching suits him best. He likes having the vast array of talent at his disposal which the English elite game can provide, and the challenge of plucking individuals from that pool to mould into a world-beating force.

And when it came to resilience - no, he would not be fazed at all, he said, if faced with the same sort of scrutiny and erstwhile abuse that Southgate had been subjected to. He was ready for it.

All in all, Carsley can be very pleased with his first day's real work in the top job. He has selected a pragmatic squad, sprinkled with plenty of elements of new and exciting, youthful brilliance. He offered an olive branch to the big names he'd left out, and made it clear what he thinks his players can, and should, achieve in the future.

But perhaps even more impressive than that, he delivered all of his answers with a credibility and enthusiasm that will have made the FA bosses sit up and take notice. Victories against Ireland and Finland in the next fortnight, can only cement his credentials still further.

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