Lee Carsley led England to a 2-0 win in Ireland in his first match as the Three Lions' interim boss
Interim England boss Lee Carsley(Image credit: Getty Images)
Interim England boss Lee Carsley has admitted he ‘wouldn’t say I was a manager’ following his first game in the Three Lions dugout.
The former Everton midfielder was given the England top job on an interim basis after Gareth Southgate stood down from the role following the Three Lions defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024.
Carsley led England to a 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League on Saturday thanks to goals from Declan Rice and Jack Grealish to get his tenure - however long that may be - off to a successful start.
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But rather than putting a dampener on his ambitions by talking down his ability as a manager, Carsley believes that the role itself is changing.
“Looking back to when I first started the manager would do everything, including organising travel, transfers,” the 50-year-old said. “Those days are probably gone now. The amount of support now that’s based around a head coach gives coaches the freedom to do what they do best.
“I wouldn’t say I was a manager, definitely not. I see myself as a head coach. I have some real good support around me who help and take a lot of pressure away from me. That’s gives me the chance to coach and be on the grass and hopefully make a difference.
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Lee Carsley (Image credit: Mike Egerton)
“That’s the way I have got to do it. I couldn’t see myself doing it any other way. I am really lucky with the people that are in charge and are my bosses. They know what my strengths are and aren’t gonna ask me to be anything I am not.
“My strength is coaching, being on the pitch. This (talking) isn’t my strength, what I am doing now. It’s something that I understand that comes with the job, as I saw on Friday. I have my own way of doing it.”
Carsley’s next test comes on Tuesday evening, when England host Finland at Wembley Stadium. Matches against Greece and Finland again follow in the October international break.
For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.
