Latest news with #GarethSouthgate
BBC News
36 minutes 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."
Telegraph
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Thomas Tuchel will leave England next summer and it could be hard to ignore Lee Carsley
In just over a year, the Football Association faces the prospect of finding Thomas Tuchel's successor. Appointed on a one-tournament contract, the German arrived with a direct brief: win the 2026 World Cup. In contrast to his predecessor, the 51-year-old's remit is straightforward. Sir Gareth Southgate was required to serve as a statesman, tasked with not only managing the senior team but overseeing youth development, internal FA planning and dipping into politics. He was a manager, whereas Tuchel is a head coach, with the freedom to focus solely on next year's tournament. Ending 60 years of hurt would etch the former Chelsea coach in English footballing folklore. Should he join Sir Alf Ramsey in leading England to World Cup glory, it would be the pinnacle, impossible to surpass in the England job. A return to club football would feel inevitable. Anything less than silverware, on the other hand, would represent failure – not just for Tuchel, but also the FA after its third roll of the dice with a foreign manager – and also likely mean the end of his tenure. The future, however, is bright. England Under-21s have provided a glimpse of what is to come during their European Championship defence, fronted by Lee Carsley, who is 90 minutes from matching Dave Sexton's achievement as head coach by winning consecutive titles. Should Carsley do so, he would then be in the frame to succeed Tuchel. In his tenure with the Under-21s, Carsley, aided by a world-class talent pool, has demonstrated his ability to guide England through a tournament. In 2023, the Young Lions won the Euros in Georgia without conceding a goal. Two years later, with a weakened squad because of the Club World Cup, Carsley has guided the side to another final against Germany on Saturday night. Although the pressure at a development tournament does not come close to the frantic nature of leading the seniors, it does offer a peek at Carsley's capability. In Slovakia, he has demonstrated first-class man-management, with numerous fringe players expressing gratitude for making them feel pivotal to the title defence. The squad are tightly bonded, thanks to his culture drive. The ability to build a tight-knit group is often the decisive margin in international football. While the group stage performances dropped below expectations, Carsley has showcased his class in the knockouts. After beating Spain in the final in 2023, England outclassed the same opposition in this year's quarter-finals. Spain set the standard at youth level, and their triumph at the 2024 senior Euros was a product of that. Yet in both matches against them, Carsley has prevailed. Luis de la Fuente led Spain to their Euro 2024 success after nine years coaching the youth teams. Perhaps the FA should follow that blueprint. With a home Euros looming in 2028, many of the players set to form the spine of the England team then – Cole Palmer, Marc Guéhi, Anthony Gordon – have already thrived under Carsley. Tino Livramento and Elliot Anderson impressed at this tournament and look ready to follow suit. When Tuchel departs, the FA will likely return to a domestic appointment; they rarely make similar, successive appointments. Carsley fits the mould: an insider who knows the system, enjoys strong player relationships, and prioritises development – evident in his senior stint, where he handed out eight new caps in six games. Appointing him would be a much-needed endorsement of the St George's Park pathway after the FA overlooked English coaching talent post-Southgate. It could be argued that England played their best football of the year while Carsley was in interim charge, winning five of their games and earning promotion back to Nations League Group A, all while playing exhilarating football. England's first ever defeat by 48th-ranked Greece is a blot on his reputation. However, it could prove a turning point in his managerial career. Carsley was forced to review every element of his tenure as interim head coach because of that dismal evening. From his performances in front of the media to his tactical decisions, he identified the areas he needed to work on and has improved as a result. At this tournament, he has also been polished in press conferences and diligent with his tactics. As he said on Friday: 'If I'm going to keep improving as a coach, I have to make sure that I'm learning from these experiences and not just going through the motions. I took a lot of things from the senior team. 'You wonder whether you're capable of managing at that level. It was something that I enjoyed, that I didn't feel drowned by. I was excited by the games. A period of reflection is needed after this tournament, but those periods are better if you've won.' Should Carsley indeed triumph then it could be hard for the FA to ignore him for the top job. Thomas Tuchel has made his own race across the world to support England's bid to retain their European Under-21 Championship crown. Tuchel, the head coach of the senior team, has been in the United States assessing potential bases for next summer's World Cup and watching some of the Club World Cup. Having been in Orlando to watch Manchester City thrash Juventus in the Club World Cup on Thursday, Tuchel has embarked on a transatlantic dash to get to Slovakia in time for Saturday night's Under-21 final between England and Germany. Tuchel had vowed to get to Slovakia to be at the final if England got there and he has attempted to stick to his word, even though it will have taken him two flights and a car journey to get there in time for kick-off. The journey will take Tuchel over 11 hours and involve three different countries. It shows the German's commitment to supporting Lee Carsley's Under-21 team in the final. England won the tournament in 2023 and can make it back-to-back triumphs by beating Germany in Bratislava on Saturday night.
Daily Mail
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Liverpool complete their fifth transfer of the summer already with move for Gareth Southgate's GODSON
Liverpool have made yet another summer signing by bringing the godson of ex-England manager Gareth Southgate to Anfield. The Reds' fifth summer recruit is 28-year-old keeper Freddie Woodman, who was a free agent after leaving Preston North End following the 2024-25 season. Woodman is the son of former Brentford, Northampton Town, Oxford United and Colchester United goalkeeper Andy Woodman but, perhaps more notably, his godfather is the recently-knighted Sir Gareth. He made 138 appearances for Preston, having previously played for Bournemouth, Swansea, Aberdeen, Kilmarnock, Crawley and Hartlepool, after starting his senior career at Newcastle. Woodman played four Premier League matches for the Magpies, all in the 2021-22 season. He has been capped by England at six different youth levels, but was never called up to the senior squad despite his close contact on the inside. Woodman is unlikely to get much game time at Anfield, where he is expected to serve as an understudy behind both Alisson Becker and Georgia international Giorgi Mamardashvili, who signed for Liverpool 12 months ago but only arrived this summer. But his status as a 'homegrown' English player should help him fit into Liverpool's squad for the UEFA Champions League. Prior to Woodman's arrival, the Reds had already made four new additions to the squad that won the Premier League title so convincingly in Arne Slot 's first season as manager. Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong arrived from Bayer Leverkusen for a combined total of £146million earlier this month.
BBC News
12 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Liverpool close on deal for Preston keeper Woodman
Premier League champions Liverpool are close to signing goalkeeper Freddie Woodman on a free transfer from Preston North 28-year-old, who made 22 appearances for the Championship side last season, is approaching the end of his Vitezslav Jaros and Harvey Davies both out on loan for next season, Liverpool want experienced cover for Alisson Becker and Giorgi Mamardashvili, who is due to complete his transfer from Valencia on 1 sold Caoimhin Kelleher to Brentford earlier this year for a fee that could reach £ - who won the World Cup with England Under-20s in 2017 - has played for Newcastle United, Kilmarnock and Swansea City as well as meets the criteria for an 'association trained' player so therefore does not need to take one of Liverpool's 17 non-homegrown slots on the Uefa squad dad, Andrew, is the manager of League Two side Bromley and his godfather is former England coach Gareth Southgate.
BBC News
14 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
England-Nigeria decision coming soon
Chelsea defender Tosin Adarabioyo recognises he needs to decide "sooner or later" whether his international future lies with England or 27-year-old has yet to receive an international call-up for either his nation of birth, England, or parentage, Nigeria with the World Cup taking place in the United States in about his hopes for playing international football, Adarabioyo said: "The World Cup means it is a decision I need to take sooner rather than later. It is a conversation we will have and we will see how it goes."The centre-back, born in Manchester, has been open to playing for England, representing the country from under-16s to under-19s, and being on Gareth Southgate's long list while playing at Fulham. However, he has yet to receive a formal terms of Nigeria, Adarabioyo has previously denied turning down any call-ups in the past. Sources say there was caution in making any decisions after his recent move to Chelsea, with the defender publicly stating he wanted to focus on club football this season. Adarabioyo is proud to have familial ties with Nigeria and last year his camp received informal contact from them. Now, with stability at Chelsea after playing 39 games this season, Adarabioyo is approaching decision time should a call-up several sources at Chelsea have praised the defender's off-field influence, especially at the Club World Cup where players are away from their families and with a lot of free time on their hands. They highlighted his close relationship with star player Cole Palmer and nickname 'Uncle' as evidence of his influence as one of a number of leaders in the squad. "I settled very quickly when I came and took on that leadership role to try and help the boys whenever I can," Adarabioyo added. "At Fulham, I was actually one of the youngest and now to come here and be one of the eldest, it's quite funny. But wherever I've been I've always been one of the leaders in the team."One example of Adarabioyo's leadership was encouraging Palmer to say more in a man-of-the-match interview after the Conference League final, with the forward in turn filmed applauding his friend after winning 'Superior Player of the Match' in a viral video after the 3-0 win over ES Tunis on Tuesday night. "No, I'm not a mentor (for Palmer), but I was looking after him a little bit," he added. "He's a top, top player who doesn't need advice from me to know what he has to do but I'm there whenever he needs me. "I banter him sometimes and tells he's a little superstar. He handles it very well."
