Lee Carsley’s England hopes boosted as Ashley Cole handed full-time FA job

Ashley Cole has been given a one-year full-time coaching deal by the Football Association and will leave Birmingham City this month in the clearest indication yet that the governing body’s current plan is to appoint Lee Carsley as the next England manager on a permanent basis.

Cole and Carsley are close associates, having spent three years coaching the Under-21s together and the latter insisted on the 107-cap former England international joining his staff when he was promoted to interim manager last month. It was not clear at the time how long the interim team may stay in control but Cole’s role is understood to come with an assurance that his one-year contract will be honoured no matter what decision is finally made.

There are suggestions that Carsley and Cole could be in charge on an interim basis for until after the March international break when England could be playing World Cup qualifiers or Nations League play-offs depending on the draw. That would, by some distance, be the longest interim manager reign in the history of the national team. The FA said in its original statement announcing Carsley’s appointment that it was “with a view to remaining in the position throughout autumn”.

It is understood that the FA will not be liable to pay compensation to Birmingham for Cole, although that matter has been raised. Carsley and Cole will work full-time, meeting at St George’s Park and on their travels around the country to scout players. The appointment of Cole has been overseen by the FA’s technical director John McDermott, who is in charge of the process of finding Gareth Southgate’s successor.

Telegraph Sport reported this week that McDermott and the FA chief executive Mark Bullingham are sounding out alternative candidates. Nevertheless, there are many who feel that the process is heading in only one direction. The FA has pulled off an unexpected move only once before in recent years when it opted for Roy Hodgson as England manager in 2012 instead of Harry Redknapp, the bookmakers’ favourite at the time.

Carsley’s first two games in charge were comfortable 2-0 wins in the Nations League against the Republic of Ireland and Finland. England play their most difficult Nations League fixture next – Greece away in November, followed by Ireland at Wembley. The draw for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers is on December 12. Only the teams drawn in groups of five will begin qualifying in March. The rest will begin in September.

Cole has thrown himself into coaching since ending his playing career in 2019. He was appointed at Birmingham in October last year as a club appointment to work with former England team-mate Wayne Rooney, whose reign as manager was shortlived.