Lee Carsley Next England Manager Odds: Can U21 boss make the step up?

England are on the hunt for a new manager after Gareth Southgate resigned following Euro 2024. After a successful spell in charge including two European Championship finals, the task his successor has is a big one. Here at Betfred Insights, we are taking a detailed look at the top five names in the running and assessing their chances of getting the job.

One of the names in the frame is current England under 21 manager Lee Carsley. Could England follow the ‘Southgate model’ and hire the U21 boss in the name of continuity? 

He may not be the most popular choice given his lack of first-team managerial experience, but there is a growing belief that Carsley could be the man to succeed Southgate. 

He is already involved in the England set-up, which would surely be seen as a bonus from those in the FA. The Three Lions have made so much progress over the last eight years, and Southgate picked up the pieces from the wreckage that was Iceland, and slowly pieced it all back together. 

The progress has been staggering, and there is no doubt that a continuation of that progress is needed, rather than a fresh start altogether. In fact, the worst thing the FA could do right now is appoint a manager who is the complete opposite of the man who served them so well over the last eight years. 

Perhaps that’s why Carsley makes the most sense. He will not change too much in terms of the things off the field, and that has been part of the reason why England have had their most successful run of tournaments ever. However, Carsley is also an adventurous tactician, knows how international football works and he has also won a trophy with the U21s. 

Last year, his side did what the senior team couldn’t, beating Spain 1-0 in the final of the European Championship. He played with James Garner as an inverted right-back, and a double-pivot of Curtis Jones and Angel Gomes in a fluid 4-4-2 formation on his way to success with a talented group of players. 

Next England Manager Odds

Talking of which, the fact that he also knows the young players coming through the system is a huge positive. Cole Palmer, Adam Wharton and Anthony Gordon played under Carsley and are now part of the senior set-up, and given the young nature of this England squad, the case for the former Everton man to take charge is a strong one. 

He has international experience, which is a big plus when you compare him to his rivals such as Eddie Howe, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino. The difference between club management and international management is vast, given international managers only get a couple of weeks to work with the players every few months. 

However, despite the talent Carsley has, there are a few concerns. He isn’t the big-name manager some fans desire and there will be a feeling that he is just another ‘yes man’ in the mould of Southgate, taking charge of the national team. It’s perhaps not a fair representation of his talent, but it will be the reaction of several England fans. However, the FA may point to not only Southgate, but the success of Spain manager Luis de la Fuente in response. 

The manager who steered Spain to Euro 2024 glory spent nine years managing their U18s and U21s, before finally getting his shot at the first team. There’s certainly a train of thought that suggests this is the right way to go, but by the same measure, Carsley has only been in the England set-up since 2020, so perhaps he should be considered the next time the job comes around, rather than on this occasion. 

There’s also the case to be made that he may not have the gravitas to garner respect from international stars such as Jude Bellingham, Harry Kane and Phil Foden. He also has little to no experience in club management, with just a handful of interim jobs at Coventry City, Birmingham City and Brentford to his name. 

However, that feels like an easy stick to beat him with, and it certainly doesn’t mean he will be a failure as England manager. There are other, bigger names in the frame here, but the quirks of international management doesn't necessarily mean that they are better suited to this job. From my point of view, players are so professional now, and the set-up at England is so well thought-out, that the new manager is going to garner respect, whoever it is. 

I think Carsley could be the right manager, but it remains to be seen whether now is the right time for him to take one of the biggest jobs in the world. Personally I wouldn’t be against it, but he may not be the most popular appointment for those supporters who had grown frustrated with Southgate. He’s a completely different tactical prospect, and given time, could be the perfect fit. 

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