Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo
Sport
Matthew Holt

The England job is Lee Carsley's if he wins his first few games - 'He knows a lot of the players, he’s brought some fresh players into the squad to liven things up a bit too': England legend says Three Lions will appoint their interim if results are good

Interim England manager Lee Carsley.

Alan Shearer believes Lee Carsley could surprise a few as the latter prepares for his first game in charge of England.

Carsley, 50, has taken over the post after Gareth Southgate's summer exit with the Three Lions set to take on the Republic of Ireland and Finland over the next week. Having earned his stripes mainly with England's Under-21 side, the former Everton midfielder is the bookmakers favourite to take over on a permanent basis.

With Southgate an unpopular choice before his appointment, it does seem as though the FA are almost allowing Carsley to audition for his job somewhat. Shearer admits the chance to manage at this level does not come around very often at all.

WATCH | How Gareth Southgate Evolved England (And Why He HAD To Go)

"It’s an unbelievable opportunity for Lee Carsley," the former Newcastle United forward told Betfair recently. "We’ve seen it happen with Spain and Luis de la Fuente, it might have been underwhelming when he was appointed the Spanish manager, but with his success in the youth teams, it then worked for them in the Euros too.

"They were the best team, and they played the best football. There’s no guarantee of success if you go out and get a big-name manager either, so this is a great opportunity for Lee. He knows a lot of the players; he’s brought some fresh players into the squad to liven things up a bit too. If he wins the first few games, then the job could well be his. It’s an incredible opportunity for him."

Carsley is most notably known for leading England's youth side to the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2023, with plenty of players from that squad called up to play in his first squad at senior level. Angel Gomes, Cole Palmer and Morgan Gibbs-White have all been given the nod with their potential for a new era to be sworn in under the 50-year-old.

More England stories

Is this the REAL reason these three players have been called up to England?

UEFA Nations League 2024/25: Format, fixtures, groups and everything you need to know

Manchester United to replace Erik ten Hag with former England boss, odds say

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.