Lee Carsley has been appointed interim England manager for September’s UEFA Nations League matches as the FA search for a successor to Gareth Southgate.
The 50-year-old was promoted from his role as England Under-21 manager following Southgate’s resignation after defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
Carsley, a former Premier League midfielder with Derby County and Everton, turned to coaching after ending his playing career in 2011. He will take charge of the national team, knowing that good results against the Republic of Ireland and Finland could see him take over as a permanent manager of the national team.
Sporting News has covered Carsley’s playing and coaching career, as well as his fascinating history as an international midfielder.
Read more: UEFA Nations League match schedule
Who is Lee Carsley?
Carsley is a former professional footballer and experienced football coach who was recently appointed interim manager of the England national team following Southgate’s departure.
Lee Carsley has been appointed interim head coach of the #ThreeLions ahead of the start of the #NationsLeague campaign.
— England (@England) August 9, 2024
Born in Birmingham, England in 1974, Carsley has earned a strong reputation in English football both as a competitive midfielder and a tactician.
Carsley’s experience comes primarily from managing at youth and Under-21 level, having led England’s Under-21 teams to success in recent years.
Read more: England ultimately suffered further setbacks as Spain overwhelmed them
Lee Carsley’s playing career
Carsley played as a midfielder throughout his playing career and was known for his work ethic, defensive contributions and leadership.
He began his professional career with Derby County in 1992 where he established himself as a reliable first-team regular and his performances there earned him a move to Blackburn Rovers in 1999, before enjoying greater success at Coventry City a year later.
However, it was during his time at Everton between 2002 and 2008 that Carsley really came into his own. He became a vital member of Everton’s midfield and quickly became a favourite with the fans at Goodison Park, making nearly 200 appearances in all competitions.
“Can you tell the difference?”
Lee Carsley and Thomas Gravesen will reunite on the Goodison pitch as part of the Gweldice Street Presents: Cult Heroes event on August 21st. 📆
Tickets for this (and the similar Everton Giants edition) are on sale now ⬇️
— Everton (@Everton) July 4, 2024
He also played for Birmingham City and Sheffield United before retiring after a second spell with Coventry in 2011.
Lee Carsley’s coaching career
After retiring from playing, Carsley quickly turned to coaching, beginning with working with Coventry City’s youth teams before moving on to various coaching roles, including with Manchester City’s academy.
His career progressed well and he was promoted to more senior roles, serving as interim head coach at Brentford in 2015. He won the EFL Championship Manager of the Month award in October that year after the team won four out of five games.
His most impressive role came when he was appointed head coach of the England U21 team in 2021 after managing the U20 team for just under a year.
Under his leadership, the team has flourished and is set to win the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2023. Carsley’s success with the Under-21s makes him a prime candidate for promotion to the senior national team, just as Southgate did in 2016.
23 #YoungLions players.
23-time #U21EURO champions.🧵 pic.twitter.com/X5ZuvNH8Jw
— England (@England) July 10, 2023
Did Lee Carsley play for Ireland?
Carsley has represented the Republic of Ireland at international level, despite being born in Birmingham, England, and was able to represent himself on the national team as he was eligible through his Irish grandparents.
Carsley won 40 caps for Ireland between 1997 and 2008, playing in key qualifiers for both the European Championships and the World Cup. He was part of the squad for the 2002 FIFA tournament in Japan and South Korea, coming on as a substitute in the group stage victory over Saudi Arabia.
