Coventry City linked Lee Carsley makes big statement as England stint ends

Lee Carsley is full of optimism about the future of England's football team, suggesting they have "all of the tools" required to secure victory at the 2026 World Cup. With Gareth Southgate stepping down after reaching yet another tournament final, the torch has been passed to former Chelsea leader Thomas Tuchel to complete the journey.

As Tuchel readies himself for the World Cup challenge in the coming year, he will have insights from interim manager Carsley, who claimed Nations League success with a sterling run of five victories in six matches. Returning to his role with the England Under-21s, Carsley feels that the senior squad possesses the requisite experience, quality, and potential to triumph come 2026.

Carsley is one of the leading names being mentioned in conjunction with the vacant Coventry City role, although Frank Lampard has moved to the top of the list with bookmakers.

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When pondering England's chances of lifting the World Cup, Carsley was confident: "I think we are in a good position to do that. I think we have the talent to do it."

He also added, "I have been lucky now to be at the last couple of World Cups and the timing of the players being in form, physically and mentally, at the right time, picking the right squad..." and concluded with the supportive claim that "We have got all of the tools. We just need to play them in the (right) order."

Tuchel will take over from Carsley, who finished his interim tenure with an impressive 3-0 win over Greece and a resounding 5-0 victory against the Republic of Ireland, during which eight new players made their debut for England in the autumn fixtures. Carsley is preparing a comprehensive report for Tuchel, believing he's leaving the national side "Thomas’ pool of players has increased so we have left the squad in a fantastic position."

Carsley has expressed his eagerness to meet with Tuchel before the latter's January 1 start date, emphasising the importance of a thorough debrief. "Definitely I think the sooner the better," he remarked.

"I think it’s important first, though, that we debrief properly, the three camps rather than being a bit reactive just on results."

He plans to provide Tuchel with valuable insights and then offer his support.

The coach has been working on enhancing England's playing style, aiming for a more attack-oriented approach, which has been well-received by players like Jude Bellingham and Jack Grealish. Carsley admitted, "I want to attack," contrasting this desire with his own defensive playing style.

"I think we have such attacking talent in this group of players that I felt the best way is to attack and we have shown that you control games."

Looking ahead, Carsley acknowledges the upcoming challenges but remains positive. "It is fair to say the challenges will be more difficult in the 18 months in terms of if we are going to win the World Cup. We have shown we can do it."

He also reflected on the team's achievements, saying, "I suppose at the start of this, we would say I have just done something that was expected in terms of getting qualified from this group, but we have to take a lot of positives from it."

England's youth teams have been showcasing their potential, and Lee Carsley is delighted with the progress. "We have given the lads a lot of opportunities and the most pleasing is that they have shown everyone what they can do," he said.

The England Under-21 boss highlighted the nation's attacking depth, noting the challenge lies in finding the right balance. "I think there’s competition for places," Carsley remarked.

"I think the best chance of us winning is, if we can, find a place."

He acknowledged the difficulties faced during international camps due to limited time. "You saw the Greece game at home (2-1 defeat), I tried that, so it is a challenge, it needs work."

He added: "One thing you don’t get with the international camps is time, so we just have to find that balance."

When asked about the pressure of having multiple talented players, Carsley shared insights from a UEFA debrief: "A lot of the international coaches at that UEFA thing I went to, the debrief of the tournaments said that. They said, ‘You’ve got a lot of good players’, as if that’s a negative thing."

He believes managing players' form is key. "If they’re all in form at exactly the same time then it’s a challenge, but players do come in and out of form and it’s putting them in the team when they’re flying and resting them when they’re not."

As the senior team prepares for the World Cup under new management, Carsley remains committed to the Under-21s.

"I love coaching the under-21s," he expressed. "It’s all about the players. I’m not one that’s chasing anything. I’m really content with the job I do and I’ll do my best."