Lee Carsley is set to turn down club offers as he targets the England manager's job after Thomas Tuchel's 2026 World Cup campaign.
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Carsley has eye on England job after World CupWon five of six games as interim coachHanded debuts to eight playersFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Carsley's role as interim coach of the England first team squad has now ended, and he has returned to his role as Under-21s coach. However, it may not be the last we hear of the former Everton man in relation to the senior international set-up.
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Carsley largely impressed in his time in charge, although not enough to make the job his own permanently. It has instead gone to former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Tuchel, who has been given the reigns for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
With an experienced manager now at the helm, England will be confident of making a deep run at the tournament, but should they fall short, then the head coach job could open up once again, something that Carsley will look to take full advantage of. While he has made no direct statement indicating this, reports that friends of Carsley say he is happy in the international environment, and he will be well placed should the job open up after the World Cup.
WHAT CARSLEY SAID
Speaking about his time in the England job, Carsley recently said: "I’m on the road a lot, so service stations is where I seem to get the most advice. Some of it is good, some of it is not so good. I seem to meet a lot of West Ham fans, very Jarrod (Bowen)-heavy.
"It’s mainly team selection… I was in a queue in a Starbucks and a fella was talking about the false nine and the tactics, after the Greece game. I just wanted a soy latte! I am not sure I will give Thomas a lot of advice. He is in a better position than I am in terms of the experience he has had and the staff he has. It will probably be more about the players, the personalities and the stuff you won’t see on the TV."
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CARSLEY AND ENGLAND?
With Carsley back with the U21s, the England team await the arrival of Tuchel in 2025 ahead of their World Cup qualifying campaign.
