'My future is FA' - Carsley signs deal until 2027

BBC News

04-06-2025

England Under-21 head coach Lee Carsley has signed a new contract with the Football Association to run until 2027.Carsley's future was the subject of speculation during his six-match spell as interim head coach of the England senior team, which ended last November after he led the side to promotion back to the top tier of the Nations League.The 51-year-old - previously on a 12-month rolling deal - has committed himself to the FA for another two years a week before England attempt to retain the European Under-21 title they won under his guidance in 2023, a feat they last achieved in 1982 and 1984.The tournament takes place in Slovakia this month, with England's first game against the Czech Republic on 12 June."I've just signed an extension. I've got the Euros and then the next campaign. My future is definitely the FA," Carsley said.When asked if the contract was going to be as U21 head coach or if there was the potential for a job elsewhere in the FA, Carsley replied: "I'll just see how it goes. I think it's important that I just do a good job."I am just trying to do it again [win the Euros]. The priority is the Euros and I won't be taking my eye off of that."The England U21 side is packed with exciting young talent such as Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri, Tottenham's Archie Gray and Liverpool's Harvey Elliot.Preparation has not been all plain sailing for Carsley though, with striker Liam Delap near certain to miss the tournament despite being named in the training squad, as he moves close to completing a £30m move to Chelsea.Chelsea are involved in the Club World Cup this summer in the United States and the Fifa tournament takes priority over the U21 Euros.Alongside Delap, Carsley could also lose Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham to the Club World Cup, if he completes a move to Borussia Dortmund.Sunderland's Dennis Cirkin, Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton and Tottenham Hotspur's Dane Scarlett are all missing because of injuries, but Carsley says these setbacks are all part of the development."First and foremost we have to remember the age of the players. They still need a lot of support." said Carsley, whose team are in a group alongside Slovenia and Germany, as well as the Czechs."We have room within our schedule to make sure that they get a chance if they need to have a medical or they need to speak to a club. "Liam is one of two or three players who we are supporting with that at the moment."Ideally I want them here, of course I do. You want your strongest squad but we have to put the players first and that is definitely what we are doing."Carsley has challenged this year's squad to improve on what his 2023 champions did. That team won all six of their matches without conceding a goal."First and foremost we can definitely improve the way we played at times," he said."We spoke about having control, with the bigger picture of hopefully helping players go onto the senior team. I've got the benefit of seeing what potentially that looks like."Hopefully we'll be good to watch. That's what you want. You want people back home watching the next generation of England players and being excited by it."Carsley won five of his six games in charge of the England senior team, with his only defeat coming against Greece at Wembley.And he said he thinks that the experience of leading the senior team gave him "a lot of confidence" and will benefit the players he coaches now.During that time Carsley gave senior debuts to a number of his class of 2023 and seven of that squad are in Thomas Tuchel's squad for Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Andorra and Tuesday's friendly with Senegal."I think that can be inspiring for this group," Carsley said. "From the last group that won the Euros, nine debuts in the senior team."What an incentive to win a tournament and have that progression and have that conveyor belt of players that are able to go through."