Lee Carsley is about to embark on a month that could determine whether he becomes the next permanent manager of England.
Carsley, 50, remains the Three Lions interim boss while the Football Association continue to search for Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor.
The former under-21 boss will lead the team for upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures this month against Greece and Finland, as speculation continues surrounding his own future within the England set-up.
The FA’s process for appointing Southgate’s successor is under way, while Carsley holds the position on an interim basis.
However, one fresh update this week may have given a major boost to Carsley’s chances of landing the job on a permanent basis, as he named his squad for the October games.
According to Sky Sports News, the FA has had no contact with Jurgen Klopp, Graham Potter, Eddie Howe or Thomas Tuchel, as the process to appoint a new manager continues.
The quartet were thought to be leading the shortlist to replace Southgate, with three of the managers listed currently unattached. However, so far, there has been no dialogue between the organisation and those listed.
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
Carsley was always expected to see out the year as interim coach, taking charge of the autumn internationals. He then impressed the FA hierarchy with two wins in his first two games, which included navigating a tricky away tie in Ireland where England won 2-0.
Although the reports may indicate that Carsley is now seen by the FA as a serious option, the man himself insists nothing has changed from his point of view.
VIDEO: How Lee Carsley Has ALREADY Fixed England
“It’s really clear what my remit is,” he said after naming his October squad. “To take these three camps in the Nations League, which is something I’m really comfortable doing. I’m totally happy with that.
“My situation hasn’t changed and I’m really looking forward to this camp now. It was a real challenge, picking the squad, the players that we’ve had to leave out. That’s a big enough challenge without worrying about [managerial] candidates and the rest of it.”
In FourFourTwo’s opinion, the lack of contact with the four managers mentioned does not necessarily mean Carsley is now in the driving seat for the job. After all, the former Everton and Birmingham midfielder was always going to be given the Nations League games before Christmas.
But should he get the job permanently if England top a group featuring Republic of Ireland, Greece and Finland? All three are teams that the Euros finalists should be beating – regardless of who is picking the team.
Both Eddie Howe and Graham Potter will still be in the running, but the FA don’t need to move for either immediately. Contacting Newcastle over Howe would be impossible to keep from the public. At a time when Howe’s long-term future with the Magpies is unsure anyway, the FA have the luxury of seeing how that situation plays out from afar, with Carsley keeping the hotseat warm.
Meanwhile, Potter has made it clear that he is happy to wait for his next job, having stayed out of management since his departure from Chelsea last year. He will be keen to see how the FA’s hiring process develops before taking himself off the market.
