England face the Republic of Ireland in Dublin on Saturday in the first match of their new Nations League campaign, and their first under interim manager Lee Carsley. The match marks the first game since the Three Lions’ 2-1 defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024, in what was Gareth Southgate’s last match in charge.
And Carsley has instantly begun to look to the future, including the uncapped quartet of Angel Gomes, Noni Madueke, Morgan Gibbs-White and Tino Livramento in his first senior squad.
All four were part of the victorious U21 European Championship squad, and will be hoping to take the first step in their international careers as they look to gel into a side featuring plenty of experience.
Meanwhile, Ireland are also embarking on the start of a new journey, with new manager Heimir Halgrimsson able to select one of the most talented Ireland squads in recent years, including the Premier League’s Evan Ferguson, Sammie Szmodics and Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher.
Follow live updates from England vs Ireland in the Nations League below:
Carsley’s career so far
So how has Lee Carsley ended up as England’s interim manager?
The Birmingham-born coach had a 17-year playing career, and most notably featured in the Premier League for Everton and Derby County, having started his career at the latter.
The defensive midfielder made his debut in 1994 for the Rams in what was then called the First Division (now known as the Championship). He became a regular starter at Pride Park, helping his side to promotion to the Premier League in 1995/96.
The most successful spell of his career came between 2002 and 2008 while playing for Everton, with the Toffees finishing as high as fourth and sixth during his time at Goodison.
At international level, Carsley represented the Republic of Ireland, making 40 appearances between 1997 and 2008.
The 50-year-old retired in 2011, with his last club being Coventry City. Having worked on his coaching badges while at Everton, Carsley was made manager of Coventry U18s later in 2011.
His first involvement with England came as a coach for the U19s in 2015, and he went on to become head coach of the U20s in 2020 after holding various youth-level development roles within the FA.
In July 2021, Carsley was appointed as the U21s head coach, winning the European Championship in 2023 after beating Spain 1-0 in the final with a team that included Cole Palmer, Angel Gomes, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Gibbs-White and Levi Colwill.
Harry Kane lifts lid on retirement plans after ‘below par’ Euro 2024 performances
Harry Kane says he wants to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo and play into his late thirties, despite admitting there are “good questions” about the football calendar and the toll on players.
The 31-year-old admitted his performances at Euro 2024 were “below par”, as he discussed the need to adapt to a season that will end with his Bayern Munich team appearing in the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup.
Kane looked physically weighed down in some games this summer, in a tournament where one of the primary themes was how England couldn’t press in the same way. He evidently sees that as a temporary issue rather than something reflective of the modern game’s demands, as he intends to emulate Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal aged 39 on Thursday (5 September).
‘Really good guy’ Lee Carsley makes the right impression on Noni Madueke
The Chelsea winger has made a bright start to life under new boss Enzo Maresca and has four goals in four games throughout all competitions, including a hat-trick in a 6-2 Premier League win over Wolves last month.
On the back of those performances, Madueke received his first call-up to the camp at St George’s Park and could made his debut when they travel to the Republic of Ireland in the Nations League on Saturday.
Madueke and Carsley are no strangers to each other and have already shared success together, winning the European Under-21 Championship last summer.
The 22-year-old hailed the new England boss for his characteristics on and off the field.
Angel Gomes relishing England opportunity after taking roundabout route into Lee Carsley’s squad
Especially as he is sufficiently young that Nani is still playing. The 37-year-old’s godson is Angel Gomes; a winger known for his flicks and tricks has had a peripatetic career since leaving Old Trafford but often checks in on Gomes. “He has been a big influence,” said the Lillemidfielder. “He was someone I used to watch and gave me joy.”
If they have a common denominator on their CVs in Manchester United, there is another team each could have represented. Gomes has played for England at Under 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 level, winning the Under-17 World Cup and the Under-21 European Championship. A trilingual midfielder is qualified to play for Angola, the country of his father’s birth. But Gil Gomes’ international football came for Portugal, in the same Under-21 team as Luis Figo, Rui Costa and Joao Pinto; they won what was then called World Youth Championship.
New England call-up Morgan Gibbs-White ‘buzzing’ for interim boss Lee Carsley
New call-up Morgan Gibbs-White was buzzing to find out Lee Carsley had been named interim England manager and feels like the role “suits him perfectly”.
Just 14 months after leading an England Under-21s side featuring the Nottingham Forest star to European Championship glory, the 50-year-old is in charge of the senior side for the first time.
“I’ve worked with Cars before, I know how he works,” Gibbs-White said.
“He’s a great manager tactically, man-management is great and I was buzzing when I found out that he got the job because I felt like he really deserved it, and I feel like it suits him perfectly.
“So hopefully the games go well for him, and you never know what the future holds.”
Rico Lewis believes Lee Carsley will bring exciting football to England
Rico Lewis is expecting interim boss Lee Carsley to bring dominant, dynamic and exciting football to England.
It is just under two months since Gareth Southgate called time on his eight-year reign having suffered another narrow defeat in the final of a European Championship.
The Football Association’s search for a permanent successor continues, with England Under-21s boss Carsley parachuted in for the autumn’s Nations League fixtures that start against the Republic of Ireland on Saturday.
Asked what can be expected from Carsley, Lewis said: “To dominate pretty much every game we play.
“That is the intention, to dominate and control the whole game and with that comes a lot of exciting work. Also, controlling the game when we have not got the ball, as well.
Lee Carsley picks four uncapped players in first England squad as interim manager
Plenty has been written about Lee Carsley this week, so we’ll start with in chronological order, with the squad announcement!
Carsley has picked four uncapped players in his first England squad – Noni Madueke, Angel Gomes, Morgan Gibbs-White and Tino Livramento. The first three were all integral parts of the former U21 manager’s victory at the U21 European Championship in 2023 – the first time England had won that trophy in 39 years.
All four players could be in line to make their debuts tonight, with Madueke potentially coming onto the wing in the absence of Phil Foden and Angel Gomes an interesting option to partner Declan Rice as a deeper midfielder.
Tino Livramento could well start due to the absence of a traditional left-back in the squad, while Morgan Gibbs-White is a good option in the attacking midfield role in the absence of Palmer and Foden.
Who are the favourites?
Unsurprisingly, Spain enter this year’s proceedings as heavy favourites to defend their crown. They’ve reached two out of three finals so far and beat Croatia on penalties to secure their first Nations League trophy last year.
It’s fair to say Luis de la Fuente’s side have improved massively since then. Spain were scintillating en route to winning Euro 2024, with the emergence of Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams forcing teams to clam up in fear of being ripped apart on the wings.
France may well be the team that can push Spain the furthest. We never truly saw the best of Les Bleus at Euro 2024, with Kylian Mbappe’s broken nose hidden behind a mask amounting to lasting image of their tournament. France showed some excellent defensive qualities in Germany as William Saliba and Jules Kounde stepped up, even if they remained blunt in attack.
Julian Nagelsmann may well feel like the Germans missed out on a wonderful opportunity during their own tournament. He now oversees a new era without Toni Kroos, Ilkay Gundogan, Thomas Muller and Manuel Neuer, four stalwarts of the nation’s success across many years.
This year’s Nations League feels like it will come too soon to push for the title, with Germany more likely to sit with Portugal, Italy and the Netherlands as League A challengers who sit slightly on the outside.
When will the fixtures take place?
The extra knockout stage will only impact a small number of nations, with much of the schedule playing out how we’ve seen before.
- Matchday 1: 5-7 September 2024
- Matchday 2: 8-10 September 2024
- Matchday 3: 10-12 October 2024
- Matchday 4: 13-15 October 2024
- Matchday 5: 14-16 November 2024
- Matchday 6: 17-19 November 2024
- Knockout round play-off draw: November 2024
- Knockout round play-offs: 20-25 March 2025
- League A quarter-finals: 20-25 March 2025
- Final tournament: 4-8 June 2025
What’s new for the 2024/25 Nations League?
Each team will continue to play the others in their group home and away, but qualification for the finals is now slightly different. A new knockout round has been added for March 2025 in a bid to create a greater sense of continuity between the end of the group and the start of the knockouts.
The gap between both stages–which has previously been from November to June–was deemed too long and not a great way to build hype for a competition that already has plenty of doubters.
Here’s how the new system will work:
The League A winners and second-placed teams will enter home and away quarter-finals against each other. Victorious teams will take up the four spots in the finals, while fourth-placed teams in Leagues A and B will be relegated. Those battling in League C have to work a little harder for safety with the two bottom-placed sides plummeting to League D.
On the flipside, all four winners from Leagues B and C will be automatically promoted, with the two League D winners also moving up. Further promotions will be decided via two-legged play-offs, between the third-ranked teams in League A and runners-up in League B, as well as the third-ranked teams in League B and runners-up in League C.
Confused yet? There’s more.
The two best ranked fourth-place teams in League C will meet the two runners-up from League D to decide who enters the next competition in the higher division.
Source: independent.co.uk
