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BBC News
9 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Whirlwind two years lead Carsley to brink of more glory
Lee Carsley has had little time to reflect on his whirlwind two eve of his second European Under-21 Championship final, as England look to defend their title against Germany in Bratislava on Saturday, is unlikely to be the time either. Carsley's six-game spell in charge of the senior side last year thrust him into the spotlight, one which he was not used to, and a return to the Under-21s has done little to keep him under the radar after guiding them to the brink of another trophy. Two years ago it was new territory as England won the Under-21 Euros for the first time in 39 years but, such has been the nature of his journey, Carsley says he is yet to take in his achievements. "I was actually thinking about this the other day and how fast things have moved," he said. "I definitely need a bit of reflection time but it's been so exciting. I wouldn't have changed it. It was such a privilege to do." Carsley says he learned a lot from coaching the senior team."You always wonder whether you're capable of managing at that level, coaching at that level and that's fine," the 51-year-old said."It was something I enjoyed, something I didn't feel drowned by. I was excited by the games." 'We have to trust the players' A second European Under-21 title would match Dave Sexton's achievements of 1982 and 1984 but Carsley had already justified the Football Association's faith by delivering the trophy two years ago. There was a strong sense he could replace Sir Gareth Southgate as senior manager, especially after two opening wins against Ireland and Finland at the start of his interim spell last summer. He won five and lost one - a defeat to Greece which clearly still rankles - with Thomas Tuchel appointed last October, leaving Carsley to take charge of his final two games - Nations League victories against Greece and Ireland. Carlsley ultimately signed a new two-year deal with the Under-21s this month, one which will take him through to Euro 2027 in Albania and Serbia. A title defence would strengthen his case to be the man to succeed Tuchel. The German is due to be in Bratislava for Saturday's game and is dashing from the Club World Cup in America to watch the Young Lions and Carsley try to keep their composure against a Germany side they lost to last week. Yet Carsley remained one of the coolest men in a sweltering stadium during Wednesday's semi-final win against the Netherlands - despite his choice of a long-sleeve hooded top. He spent spells of the second half crouching, he was far from passive but there was no loss of temper, angst or nerves privately joked about keeping his temperament under wraps after the game, conceding he had felt the pressure, although stated publicly it was important to not let it show. "If you watch us training I'm probably not as calm but it's very difficult to coach on a matchday. We have to trust the players they can adopt the gameplan we've spoken about," said the 51-year-old."In terms of the way I want the team to play, if you saw me on the side ranting and raving I can't expect the players to be exciting, express themselves and play with freedom." Carsley has grown into the role. When he first succeeded Aidy Boothroyd in 2021 being a front facing member of the England set-up did not necessarily come naturally, even in small meetings with a limited number of reporters at St George's Park. A couple of slips during his time with the seniors - he was criticised for not singing the national anthem despite explaining it was something he did not do while playing for Ireland - and the surprising admission he would "hopefully" return to the Under-21s before Tuchel's appointment was announced, created more headlines than he then, though, he has relaxed, with side jokes about journalists' clothes in the hot Slovakian sun or nods in news conferences about topics he knew would come up from certain writers. His other senior management experience came from caretaker spells at Coventry, Brentford and Birmingham but he is at ease in Slovakia and it shows. He has respect from his peers too with Germany boss Antonio di Salvo, a former Bayern Munich forward, recognising the job Carsley has done. "I talk to Lee every so often, we are good colleagues and have seen each other at a number of Uefa meetings," he said. "After winning the title two years ago, he was also with the senior team and you can see their team is united and we can see his signature on it. He's doing a really good job." 'He makes everyone feel welcome and wanted' Carsley does not pretend to be someone he is not either. He is genuine and honest, with excellent man management skills, traits similar to Southgate who he worked so closely with, having joined his staff for Euro 2024. He brings the balls out for the warm-ups, not a usual responsibility the head coach, but a small statement of his ways. Noticeably, the players often use his nickname 'Cars' when talking about the head coach. Not 'the manager' or the 'gaffer' in a sign of his close relationship with them, which has allowed them to develop and shine in the knockout stages in Slovakia. "He's created a group but it's not just Lee. It's the whole whole staff group - it runs from the physios to the assistants, starts with Lee, runs all the way down," said defender Charlie Cresswell. "It feeds off to us players. We've got such a good group in there, the togetherness that we have as a squad it's inspirational."Captain James McAtee has spoken about Carsley's "belief and trust" while Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, who scored in the group stage defeat to Germany agreed. Scott gives credit to Carsley's methods as a man and manager to perfectly encapsulate his personality. "It's something that started with Gareth and what he brought into the England set-up, and Lee has done the same thing. The relationship we have as a team and the things we do off the pitch ultimately come together on it."Cars is massive for the group and makes everyone feel welcome and wanted as players. To have that relationship with your coach on and off the pitch is so important if we want to be successful."Winning the tournament two years ago and taking the seniors for those games, Cars has shown how good a man and coach he is."It will still matter regardless of the outcome in Slovakia but winning would create Carsley's legacy and the former Coventry and Everton midfielder is eyeing a dynasty. "Our record at this tournament, it's fair to say, isn't great. From not qualifying for the tournament or getting knocked out in the group stages," he said."Obviously Dave Sexton started off great and you'd like to see a period of domination but we didn't do that. "Spain have done it, Italy have done it, Germany have done it, the Netherlands have done it. We have to make sure we're there."
The Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Wiegman to stay as England manager even if they exit at group stage of Euro 2025
Sarina Wiegman has the backing of the Football Association to stay in charge of England until at least 2027 regardless of how her team perform at Women's Euro 2025. The defending champions are in the so-called group of death alongside France, the Netherlands and Wales and the FA's chief executive, Mark Bullingham, was asked whether Wiegman would continue even if England exited the tournament early. 'We're delighted that Sarina's in place until 2027 and I don't see any scenario changing that,' he said. 'She is the most successful coach in women's international football today.' Wiegman won the European Championship with the Netherlands before repeating the trick with England and has led both countries to a World Cup final. Bullingham said of the ambitions for the Euros that start in Switzerland on Wednesday: 'As with every tournament, we're aiming to win but we know just how hard that is. We do believe we are one of a number of teams who are capable of winning. We will be doing everything to try to make that a reality.' Bullingham said he was 'very confident' Wiegman would want to stay until at least the 2027 World Cup, praising the 'phenomenal job' she has done, and revealed the Dutchwoman was on the interview panel for the process to hire the FA's new women's technical director. Gavin Step is in that role on an interim basis while the chief football officer, Dan Ashworth, leads the search to replace Kay Cossington. Wiegman and the Lionesses who won Euro 2022 are due to be honoured with a statue at Wembley, and an FA spokesperson said the governing body was 'completely committed' to the project. 'We are well advanced now, in the commissioning process,' they said. 'We're making good progress, and I'm hopeful we will be able to provide an update at the end of the summer.' The idea was disclosed during 2023's World Cup, when Wiegman's team reached the final in Sydney. The UK is due to host the 2035 Women's World Cup after Fifa confirmed England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland were the sole bidders, and Bullingham said 'about 33 stadia' had declared interest in staging matches at the first senior football World Cup on UK soil since 1966. Bullingham said Northern Ireland's Windsor Park would be included, and made clear the organisers were prepared to give several proposed new stadiums, including in Manchester, a chance to be completed. 'There are probably [six] stadiums that could be built throughout the next few years that could be really attractive to host a tournament in the United Kingdom in 2035,' he said. 'You could look at what could potentially happen at St James' Park, at Birmingham and at Wrexham – there are a number of other ones as well. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion 'In terms of Northern Ireland, we are very focused on Windsor Park; we are not anticipating any stadiums being built in Northern Ireland. The question for Windsor Park is how we expand it slightly because the minimum number you have to get to for a World Cup bid is 20,000 and they are just off that but we think it's possible to add those extra seats and we fully expect Northern Ireland and Windsor Park to be part of the World Cup.'
The Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- The Independent
FA chief offers guarantee over Sarina Wiegman's future ahead of Euro 2025
The Football Association wants Sarina Wiegman to lead England into the 2027 World Cup, regardless of how the Lionesses perform at the upcoming Euro 2025, chief executive Mark Bullingham has said. Defending champions England are among the favourites ahead of the Euros, and will be aiming to retain their title, but have been drawn in a tough group alongside fellow contenders France and the Netherlands as well as Wales. Bullingham believes England are capable of defending their European crown and maintains that Wiegman is the best possible coach to lead the Lionesses in Switzerland, having won the past two tournaments with the Netherlands in 2017 and England in 2022. England's build up has been more complicated this time, with vice-captain Millie Bright ruling herself out of selection and goalkeeper Mary Earps announcing her retirement, leaving Wiegman to laugh off the suggestion that the Lionesses were in crisis going into Euro 2025. Wiegman is under contract with England through to the end of the 2027 World Cup, having signed an extension after reaching the previous World Cup final in 2023, and Bullingham made clear that she has the FA's support even if the Lionesses fall to an early exit in Switzerland. "We're delighted that Sarina's in place until 2027 and I don't see any scenario changing that,' Bullingham said. Bullingham also offered reassurances over England's preparations for the tournament and said that the Lionesses are in a 'good place' ahead of the Euros, with Lauren James set to be fit and joining Lauren Hemp, Georgia Stanway and Alex Greenwood in recovering from injuries to make the squad. 'Obviously there are a number of players returning from injuries and we are delighted we have them back now,' he said. 'In a perfect world, we would rather have had them playing for at least half a season but that is not a reality. I think we're really confident in the squad we've got going to the Euros.' While Bullingham said it is 'too early' to open talks with Wiegman about extending her stay with England beyond the 2027 World Cup, he did confirm that the 55-year-old coach was involved in the appointment of the FA Women's technical director following the departure of Kay Cossington later this year. 'We think she's a fantastic coach and has done a brilliant job for us,' he said. 'We are delighted she's with us until at least 2027. We haven't looked beyond that timescale yet or engaged in those conversations. 'We feel we have us locked into this tournament and the next and that feels very good for us. That's not to say we wouldn't have a conversation at some point in the future but it's too early for that really.' Wiegman will also welcome two new additions to her coaching staff in September, with Janneke Bijl and Arvid Smit replacing assistant Arjan Veurink, who will be taking charge of the Netherlands after Euro 2025, but Bullingham also said a succession plan is in place - as there is for any senior position within the FA. 'She's the most successful coach in women's international football today, with two Euros wins and two World Cup runners-up medals,' Bullingham added. 'It's worth pointing out that no other coach in the men's or women's game has won a Euro or World Cup with two different nations, so she's got a unique achievement in that.' 'We're aiming to win, but we know just how hard that is,' Bullingham said on England's expectations heading into Euro 2025. 'We've only won one tournament since 1966, but we do believe we're one of a number of teams who are capable of winning and we'll be doing everything to try and make that a reality.'
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
England missed a trick with Lee Carsley - they'd be daft to ignore him again
Having got a couple of deeply underwhelming performances out of the way in early June, Thomas Tuchel's summer is not likely to be overly busy. Apparently, he will be at the Club World Cup - he might already be there - to assess conditions in the United States ahead of next summer's serious tournament. It's hot, Thomas. But now England's under-21 squad have completed the splendid achievement of making the final of the Euros, Tuchel will, hopefully, be in Bratislava to see the showdown with Germany. If nothing else, for a show of support. Considering he is a gun hired for 18 months, development teams are of limited concern to Tuchel. One or two of the under-21 party in the final will have a chance of making it to World Cup 2026 - Tino Livramento is probably the prime candidate. But the bulk of Tuchel's squad for next summer is probably already settled. Get your suitcase packed, Jordan Henderson. But the work that is being done - and has been done - by Lee Carsley has been invaluable to the long-term future of the English national team. In the shape of Germany, there is one more formidable final barrier for the under-21s to hurdle but a second successive major tournament triumph would be a remarkable achievement. And it would be testament not only to Carsley's tactical acumen and footballing brain, but to his ability to foster a club culture in a national team. Almost as eye-catching as the performance that produced a 3-1 quarter-final win over Spain last Saturday was the way Carsley's players stood up for each other in the melee at the end of the contest. It was all-for-one and one-for-all stuff. 'There are better ways to build camaraderie,' smiled Carsley, but, deep down, he must have been proud. It is a cliche, but this is another England under-21 vintage that looks like a band of brothers. 'They are a really together group,' Carsley said. 'But I have been with together groups that have gone home quite early.' In other words, camaraderie is great but you need a lot, lot more than that to win a tournament. At under-21 level especially, you need to adapt to the inevitable churn of personnel. A little while ago, you might have expected the likes of Liam Delap, Jobe Bellingham, Adam Wharton and Taylor Harwood-Bellis to play key roles in the Euros but, for one reason or another, all are absent. They might not have been massively convincing in the group stages - winning one, losing one and drawing one - but Carsley has adapted and to win a coaching battle against a Spanish counterpart and then a Dutch counterpart is another feather in his cap. Carsley, of course, was given a six-game spell as interim senior manager and the only blot on his attractive copybook was a maverick team selection that led to a Nations League home defeat by Greece. Regardless of that hiccup, the Football Association, it seems, were always going to go down the Tuchel route. For the big job, they were always going to ignore a succession from within, a man proven to know what it takes to win an international tournament, a coach who players clearly love playing for. When Tuchel disappears back into lucrative club management in just over a year's time, the FA would be daft to ignore him again. Sky has slashed the price of its bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more. Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Brain injuries hearing: ‘no safe number of times' a footballer can head the ball
There is 'no safe limit' for heading a football, the high court heard, as lawyers acting for former players who suffered permanent brain injuries sought to advance their case against the game's authorities. Claimants in the case argue that the authorities should have made players aware of the risks they were taking by heading a ball as far back as the 60s, claiming that information on the danger of repeated blows to the head was in the public domain. Speaking on behalf of the 23 former professional players, and the families of 10 deceased players who comprise the joint action, Susan Rodway KC told a pre-trial hearing in London on Thursday that 'it is the defendants' duty to outline what they did know' on the issue of injuries. 'The claimant position is that repeated heading and clashes and associated injuries have a cumulative effect,' she said. 'We are saying there is no safe number of times a player can head the ball. Do the defendants have experts that say there is a quantum under which safety is maintained? 'If that is the case, we say that the case continues but on the basis that the defendants will have exceeded even that safe level, unless they are going to say starkly that heading of the ball is safe, however much you do it.' The Football Association, English Football League and FA of Wales are joint defendants in the case and Michael Kent KC, acting on behalf of the EFL, said this definition meant the court was now hearing a 'completely different' case from one looking at individuals who had experienced concussion on the pitch. Analysing the risk of repeated heading meant that 'we are dealing with allegations related to something which would not at the time have produced any identifiable problem,' he said. 'It's a cumulative but invisible injury over a period, completely different from a case based on a huge number of references to concussions and their management.' Rodway said that a further 90 individuals have agreed to join the legal action and that 'we remain of the view that this could go as high as 150'. The claimants include the family of former England midfielder and 1966 World Cup winner, Nobby Stiles, who had dementia and died in 2020. A postmortem found he was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a progressive brain condition caused by repeated blows to the head. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Both sides also challenged each other over perceived delays in bringing the case to trial, with Rodway asking for deadlines to be moved forward and defendants demanding extra information. 'It has been five years since the case started, and three years since generic elements of claim were submitted,' Rodway told the court. 'I very much hope that the court can take on board that enough is enough and we need to progress.' Martin Porter KC, representing the FA, said: 'I know her solicitor will tell anyone who listens that the FA is dragging its feet but we have had to go to strenuous efforts in order to discover what these cases are truly about.' Judge Amanda Stevens ruled that the parties should reconvene for a further pre-trial hearing on 29 July.
