Sept 9 (Askume) – Lee Carsley said he sometimes felt the responsibilities he was taking on were beyond his abilities as England interim manager but a 2-0 win over Ireland in Dublin on Saturday erased those doubts.
Carsley, who has 40 caps for Ireland and qualifies for the national team through his grandmother, has been appointed caretaker while England search for a full-time successor to Gareth Southgate.
Beating Ireland not only gave England a perfect start to their Nations League campaign but also raised the prospect of Casserly taking on the role permanently, taking charge when England face Finland at Wembley on Tuesday. Take it.
“When you sit at home you always think being England manager is easy but sometimes I wonder if I can do it,” Carsley told British media.
“But it (the Dublin win) gave me and the rest of the staff some confidence that actually, we’re okay, we’re going to be okay.
“I spoke about it in the first press conference as a safe couple. I think we have a good relationship with the players,” said Carsley, who has captained the England Under-21s since the 2021 national team.
Looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, Carsley says England need to show more control.
“Our ultimate goal is to play with the top teams in the world when it matters most,” he said. “They’ve got two years to get there. We’ve come a long way.”
