Lee Carsley admitted the role of interim England manager has pushed him out of his comfort zone, but insisted it has been a positive experience.
Carsley takes charge of his final game on Sunday when England host the Republic of Ireland at Wembley knowing victory would almost certainly ensure the Three Lions top their Nations League group and earn promotion to the highest tier of the competition.
Despite nine players pulling out of the squad on the eve of the game, England ran out 3-0 winners against Greece in Athens on Thursday courtesy of goals from Ollie Watkins, an Odysseas Vlachodimos own goal, and debutant Curtis Jones.
Locked in 🔐 pic.twitter.com/YSc5KKpJgy
— England (@England) November 16, 2024
And Carsley, who made 40 appearances for the Republic of Ireland as a player, knows how important returning to League A of the Nations League is.
“That’s my priority: making sure we get the job done,” said Carsley, who will be replaced by Thomas Tuchel as England boss.
“I’m fully respectful of Ireland and the strengths that they have so we have to make sure we approach the game properly.
“It’s important for the longer term view, the best thing for us is to get promotion. That sets us up for the draw at the world cup.”
When asked about his experience of being England boss, Carsley admitted there had been difficult moments but insisted the positives had outweighed the negatives.
“It’s a great role, it’s been a brilliant experience,” added Carsley.
“At times it has been tough but the tough times have been outweighed by times like the other night [against Greece].
“You always question whether you could do it, in terms of being in your comfort zone. That’s something both myself and the coaching staff have been out of, which has done us good.”
Carsley also urged the younger players he has brought in to the squad during his short tenure to keep their place after he departs.
“That’s the challenge now, to stay in the squad,” he added.
“It’s a tough squad to get into. We’ve got so much quality. There’s now a bigger pool for Thomas [Tuchel] to pick from. The competition for places is extreme and they’ve got to make sure they stay in the race.”
Lee Carsley has confirmed @EzriKonsa will return to Aston Villa ahead of Sunday’s #NationsLeague game after picking up an injury in Greece on Thursday.
Speedy recovery, Ez! 👊
— England (@England) November 16, 2024
Following his decision to not start captain Harry Kane against Greece, Carsley confirmed that Kane would feature on Sunday although whether he will start the match remains to be seen.
The interim England manager also revealed that defender Ezri Konsa has returned to his club Aston Villa after limping off during the game in Athens.
