Five candidates who could land England job over Lee Carsley as FA step up process
The Football Association have been taking their time before reaching a decision on the next permanent England manager, with plenty of alternatives to interim boss Lee Carsley
Lee Carsley has given his audition for the role of England 's permanent manager, but plenty of other candidates remain in the running.
Under-21s boss Carsley took interim charge ehad of the September international break, securing wins away to Ireland and at home to Finland. Despite the victories, though, he admitted the experience took him out of his comfort zone.
While there's every chance he remains in the dugout for the next UEFA Nations League match against Greece in October, questions are being asked of whether he's the best fit. The 50-year-old has made his own stance clear, though, saying: “Am I up for it? It is more about football, definitely. Am I up for it? I think I am up for it."
The aim for the FA is appointing a manager capable of leading a campaign to not just qualify for the 2026 World Cup but to be in contention to win the whole thing. Carsley has done what has been asked of him, but others have their own qualities.
“I’ve not heard that one about the impossible job, no. Not heard that," Carsley said. "It’s a really good job, it’s a job where, when you look at different opportunities, the first thing you think is: ‘can you win?’
“Can you be in a position where you can win? This job definitely ticks that box. We’ve got the players to, not only be competitive, but to win a major trophy.”
While Carsley has already led the Under-21s to European glory, other contenders have done more in the club game, with The Mail reporting the FA has spoken with a number of potential candidates. Here, Mirror Football looks at five men who might yet beat the interim manager to the permanent gig.
Graham Potter
Who should get the England job ? Have your say in the comments section
Potter has been out of the game since his short-lived spell as Chelsea manager. There have been efforts to coax him back into the game, with Ajax holding talks only for the 49-year-old to ultimately say no.
Other candidates have more conventional career paths compared to Potter, but this could yet work in his favour. After making a name for himself in Sweden with Ostersunds, he spent time with Swansea and Brighton before taking his first job at one of the Premier League's big hitters.
His struggles at Chelsea could yet work against him, with a run of just one win of nine games in January and February 2023 accelerating his exit. However, the FA may look at other managers' difficulties at Stamford Bridge and decide the impressive form at Brighton which got him that job to begin with is the more relevant stint.
Eddie Howe
Howe's name has long been linked with the England job, with the former Bournemouth boss once seen as a natural heir to Gareth Southgate. The Cherries' relegation in 2020 prompted some to rethink their stance, but he has built his reputation back up at Newcastle.
The Magpies made it into the Champions League ahead of schedule before recording a famous win at home to Paris Saint-Germain. While they weren't able to secure European qualification last term, a return of 85 goals was the club's highest ever in the Premier League and pointed to their exciting attacking play.
In 2016, when he was linked with the England job before Southgate's appointment. Howe insisted he wouldn't be able to turn his back on Bournemouth. Only time will tell whether he'd have the same reaction now with regards to his Newcastle future.
Jurgen Klopp
Liverpool manager Klopp has a CV which most would be proud of. He's also one of a number of candidates whose achievements ought to allow the FA to explore the possibility of appointing a foreign boss for the first time since Fabio Capello.
The bigger question is whether he would want the job - or, indeed, any job. Upon announcing his plans to leave Liverpool, he indicated he was in no rush whatsoever to return to the dugout.
"I will find something else maybe to do. But I will not manage a club or a country at least for a year, that’s not possible, I cannot do that and I don’t want to," he said.
Unless he changes his mind, that rules Klopp out of the picture until 2025 at the earliest. However, with only two World Cup qualfiiers taking place before June, might the FA be prepared to wait?
Pep Guardiola
Manchester City boss Guardiola is another who is unlikely to be available before 2025. That's when his contract at the Etihad Stadium expires, and he hasn't ruled out staying there longer.
"I will not rule it out absolutely to extend the contract," he said during pre-season. "I just want to be sure it's the right decision, not just for me, for the club."
Like Klopp, Guardiola's managerial CV is an undoubtedly impressive one. He has also made it clear he would like to manage an international team, though doing so for the first time might yet be considered a gamble.
If Guardiola emerges as the top target, and if he says yes, England might want to keep Carsley in charge for a few more months. The question is whether he'd be prepared to remain in interim charge for that long..
Thomas Tuchel
The fifth candidate is the third foreigner on the list. That said, Tuchel developed ties to the UK during his time as Chelsea manager and spoke with Manchester United over a Premier League return.
"It is no secret that I loved it at Chelsea, I loved it in England," the German said in May. "I loved it in the Premier League for sure, it was a very, very special time and I remember it very well.”
Tuchel's ability to get results in cup competitions might appeal after some close calls under Southgate. He won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021, also reaching the final with Paris Saint-Germain and coming within minutes of doing the same with Bayern Munich last season.
There were some questions over his league form with both Chelsea and Bayern, though, and he left the Allianz Arena last summer after Bayern missed out on the Bundesliga title for the first time in more than a decade. The FA will need to determine whether an international gig would suit him better than the environment in Bavaria, and one thing working in his favour is his experience working with captain Harry Kane and a number of other England stars.
Join our new WhatsApp communityand receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
