The English Football Association has announced that Lee Carsley, the current manager of England’s under-21 team, will be taking on the role of interim head coach for the men’s senior team.
The announcement was made on Friday through a statement on the FA’s website titled “Lee Carsley appointed as England men’s interim head coach.”
England’s official Twitter account, #England, also confirmed the news by stating, “Lee Carsley has been appointed interim head coach of the #ThreeLions ahead of the start of our #NationsLeague campaign.”
Following Gareth Southgate’s resignation as England’s manager after eight years, Carsley is set to step into the senior role, mirroring Southgate’s transition from the under-21 setup.
The statement mentioned, “Lee Carsley has been appointed interim head coach of England senior men ahead of the start of the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League campaign.”
Carsley, who has been in charge of the under-21s since July 2021, led the Young Lions to their first UEFA U21 European Championship victory since 1984.
For the upcoming September fixtures against the Republic of Ireland and Finland, Carsley will be leading the team temporarily while the FA continues the search for a permanent head coach.
With 40 caps for the Republic of Ireland and extensive Premier League experience, Carsley brings a wealth of knowledge to the role, despite his lack of previous senior managerial experience.
Expressing his honor at leading the England squad on an interim basis, Carsley stated, “My main priority is to ensure continuity and our goal is to secure promotion in the UEFA Nations League.”
Mark Bullingham, the FA CEO, praised Carsley as a fantastic coach with strong interim capabilities and expressed confidence in his performance during the UEFA Nations League games.
While Carsley takes on the senior team, Ben Futcher will manage the under-21s for the forthcoming 2025 U21 EURO qualifiers in September.
England finds themselves in UEFA Nations League B Group 2 alongside Finland, Greece, and the Republic of Ireland for the upcoming fixtures.