Had things turned out differently, Lee Carsley could quite easily be taking charge of the Republic of Ireland’s Nations League playoff against Bulgaria in Dublin on Sunday night. At the end of 2023 the former Derby and Everton midfielder was approached by the country he represented 40 times to see if he would be interested in leaving his role with England Under-21s.
Having held what Carsley described as “informal discussions” with the Football Association of Ireland, he opted to stay put. Their loss has been England’s gain as the 51-year-old stepped up to fill Gareth Southgate’s shoes when he departed after Euro 2024 and was only too happy to resume his duties with the under-21s when Thomas Tuchel was appointed as head coach of the senior side.
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Watching Carsley take charge on Friday of the first match of his second spell as coach of the under-21s, it is clear he is much more comfortable out of the spotlight that the main job inevitably brings. Despite suffering a 5-3 defeat in an entertaining game against a talented France team, Carsley will relish the chance to lead England in their hunt for glory at this summer’s European Under-21 Championship – a tournament they had not won since 1984 until victory over Spain in the final two years ago.
With a squad stacked with young players who could potentially be called up for the senior squad for the World Cup next year, he is under no illusions about where the priorities must lie. “As soon as Thomas needs them, I won’t put a blockage to that,” he said. “The best thing for the players is to play in the senior team.
“Ultimately, we’re trying to support the seniors to win the World Cup. That’s the goal. That’s the ambition for all of the players. I think we’ve got to set the bar high. They can see the seniors now, how good they are and how fast they’re progressing.”
With only Monday’s friendly against Portugal at the Hawthorns and one more behind-closed-doors game to come before they head off to Slovakia in June, Carsley knows time is of the essence if England are to defend their title. An experimental side with three at the back were badly exposed by France’s brilliant front three of Hugo Ekitike, Wilson Odobert and Rayan Cherki, even if they did create plenty of chances of their own and could easily have scored more than the three they managed.
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Jarrad Branthwaite’s late arrival to the camp on Wednesday meant the Everton defender was not introduced until deep into the second half in Lorient and he is expected to start against Portugal. He would be a shoo-in to start in Slovakia should – as expected – Carsley revert to his usual four at the back. That was the system preferred by Tuchel for his first game in charge against Albania, although Carsley was adamant he has not been given instructions to mirror what the senior side do. “I don’t think it matters,” he said. “It’s important that we’re both trying to attack, we’re both trying to score goals, we’re both trying to win games.”
That much was evident with his selection of Alex Scott and Jaden Philogene as wing-backs against France, even if neither can claim to have excelled defensively. The task for Carsley will be finding a system that best suits a multi-talented squad that is particularly well-stacked in central midfield. Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson started there against France, with Jack Hinshelwood, Jobe Bellingham and Archie Gray also vying for spots. Wharton, who missed almost four months of the season after having surgery on his groin at the end of last year, showed signs of his quality but is still lacking match fitness.
He was part of Southgate’s squad at Euro 2024, even if the Crystal Palace midfielder was an unused substitute throughout England’s run to the final. He believes that experience could prove useful when it comes to this summer. “If you go all the way it’s going to be a long trip, long days but it’s just about getting that togetherness as a group and getting the chemistry,” he said.
The 21-year-old trained with the senior squad for the first two days of this camp before linking up with Carsley and he said the World Cup has to be a target for everyone in the under-21s squad. “We’re only one step away and pretty much everyone, or a high percentage of the players, are playing in the top division,” he said.
Wharton’s call-up for Euro 2024 was something of a surprise but he now feels at home in the senior squad. “When I’m on the pitch, it doesn’t matter who I’m playing with, it’s the same football. I just try to express myself and play my game when I’m training and playing.”
Asked if Tuchel wanted him to improve in any particular areas, he said: “Everything. I’m still only 21. I’m nowhere near where I want to be. There’s a lot of things I can improve on: on the ball, off the ball, tactically, as a leader, a bit of everything.”
James McAtee has been one of Carsley’s most consistent performers and scored the opening goal against France. His and Rico Lewis’s participation in the summer is in doubt due to Manchester City’s involvement in the Club World Cup but McAtee intends to be involved in the decision-making process with Pep Guardiola. “I think I’ll get a say in it,” he said. “But I haven’t made my mind up. I think my opinion will matter and the boss back home will listen to me.”
