Reports suggest that England Under-21 manager Lee Carsley will take temporary charge following Gareth Southgate’s resignation. The former stepped down after England’s loss in the Euro 2024 final to Spain, ending a spell with mixed reviews but some truly significant achievements: back-to-back European Championship finals and finishing in the semifinals at the 2018 World Cup.
The search for a permanent replacement is on, but according to the Telegraph, Carsley is expected to take charge of England in their upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against the Republic of Ireland and Finland. The former Everton midfielder, who has been with the junior lions since 2021, guided England’s Under-21 team to their first European Championship in nearly 40 years last summer.
Aged 50, Birmingham-born Carsley started out in his playing days at Derby County, making 40 appearances for Ireland between 1997 and 2008, including the World Cup in 2002. His club career included spells at Blackburn Rovers, Coventry City, and Birmingham City.
Carsley began his coaching career with the FA back in 2015 as an Under-19 assistant. He has gone on to manage Brentford, take caretaker roles at Coventry and Birmingham, and has also worked throughout Manchester City as an academy coach. If appointed full-time, he would follow in Southgate’s steps, who took interim charge in 2016.