Lee Carsley has said he has ambitions to take charge of England’s senior side again but insisted he was happy to be back with the under-21s as they prepare to defend their European Championship title.
Carsley stepped in as interim manager to replace Gareth Southgate after Euro 2024 and helped England to finish top of their Nations League group before being replaced by Thomas Tuchel. The former Republic of Ireland midfielder is back with the under-21s, the side he led to a first European title triumph in 2023, before the finals in Slovakia in June.
Carsley is focused on winning a second successive title but he did not rule out a permanent return to the senior role. “It’s something that I enjoyed doing but ultimately, like I’ve said in the past, you’ve definitely got to earn the right to be in that position and I can only do my best,” he said. “I feel happy and trusted doing what I’m doing so we will see what happens in the future.”
Asked whether the experience with the senior side had changed his approach, Carsley said: “No, not really. I tried to be myself, tried to do my best and enjoyed it. I didn’t enjoy it at times, but I enjoyed the majority. It was a great experience and I felt privileged and entrusted to be in that position.”
He said he needed to deal better with the media: “I’m aware of that. If I’m going to do better in the future then I need to make sure I’m pushing myself. But I enjoyed it – the three camps were excellent.
“To get the last win at Wembley [against Ireland] was a great feeling. It was a bit surreal then following that because I was coming off such a high and then going back to the day job.”
Only four players who were part of England’s triumphant squad two years ago remain eligible for the under-21s, with Carsley drawing on a number of the under-19s side who became European champions in 2022, including the Ipswich forward Liam Delap and Bournemouth’s Alex Scott.
Carsley’s assistant, Ashley Cole, was inducted into the Football Association’s hall of fame on Wednesday and he believes a squad that includes Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri, Harvey Elliott of Liverpool and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton are capable of emulating their predecessors.
“We’ve told this group they have left a legacy for you and we want to continue that and hopefully do well in the Euros and leave a legacy for the next generation,” Cole said.
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“Every day I watch them train, I see the hunger and desire and if we don’t win the Euros, I know they will have given everything.”
Delap is expected to start up front against France on Friday before they face Portugal in another friendly on Monday. He, Wharton and Taylor Harwood-Bellis trained with the senior England squad under Tuchel this week and Delap described it as “an incredible experience”.
“They are all players you look up to and admire and want to carve your game upon so it was a great experience,” he said. “They [Tuchel and his staff] appreciate everyone is here for a reason, they have so much expression of freedom. They let you be you in a structured way. They let you be yourself.”