Morgan Gibbs-White, the attacking midfielder of Nottingham Forest, is confident that Lee Carsley possesses the strategic prowess and adept people-management skills needed to secure the permanent position as England’s manager. Gibbs-White and Carsley have built a strong understanding through their involvement in the England under-21 team, starting from November 2021.
Carsley, in his tenure as under-21 coach, assigned Gibbs-White 15 of his 18 caps while institutionally trusting him in the critical No 10 slot throughout their European Championship triumph last summer. Carsley recently awarded Gibbs-White his first senior-level opportunity as England readies for its first match under Carsley’s temporary leadership against Ireland in Dublin this Saturday. England will subsequently challenge Finland at Wembley on Tuesday.
Carsley, an ex-Irish international on the pitch, is projected to continue in this capacity for both October and November’s international matches. Praiseworthy performances may place him as Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor. “I am fully familiar with his working style,” Gibbs-White voiced. “His tactical brilliance and person-management skills are unmatched, and I was thrilled upon learning of his appointment. I honestly believe he fully merits this position, and it couldn’t be more suited to anyone else.”
Gibbs-White anticipates Carsley’s success in the upcoming matches and remains excited about the future hold under his leadership. Carsley instructed Gibbs-White to stay true to his individuality, emphasizing that this quality nabbed him the senior-level appointment.
Gibbs-White boasts an impressive youth career with England, being an integral part of the Steve Cooper-led under-17 World Cup-winning team in 2017. Like Angel Gomes and Emile Smith Rowe, he’s one of the few players to have claimed both the under-17 World Cup and under-21 Euros titles. Gomes was also selected by Carsley for the senior squad. Gibbs-White hopes to infuse his past triumphs and winning mindset into the current squad, fostering a winning culture.
Gibbs-White, who became the first Forest player to receive an England call-up since Stuart Pearce in 1997, is aware that the odds of debuting within the upcoming week have risen due to the injures of Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer, and Phil Foden’s sickness. “Being second-string to some of the world’s top tier players can be viewed both positively and negatively,” expressed Gibbs-White. “I ought to focus on leveraging my skills and hopefully, the opportunity will present itself.”
Separately, Noni Madueke also acknowledged Carsley following his maiden senior call-up. Madueke, the winger hailing from Chelsea, has had an impressive run under new manager Enzo Maresca, scoring four goals in as many games across all tournaments. This tally includes a trio of goals in a 6-2 thrashing of Wolves in the Premier League last month.
Following these strong performances, Madueke has been akin to training at St George’s Park and could potentially debut on Saturday. Having previously been a part of Carsley’s European Under-21 Championship team in 2023, 22-year-old Madueke spoke highly of the new England manager’s traits in both personal and professional spheres.
“Above all else, he’s a man of great character and approachability,” Madueke told BBC Radio 5 Live. “He exhibits many relatable qualities that make you feel comfortable and welcomed. Apart from his tactical brilliance, he has a knack for conveying his strategies in a digestible manner, a trait common amongst elite managers. I have nothing but praise for him, as he clinched the Euros with us.
“I believe that he is a superb manager – familiar with the pathway, the system, and the FA, his presence here has been long-standing, akin to Gareth [Southgate]. My expectation is that he performs exceptionally well, and I trust in his management implicitly.”
Maresca’s ongoing changes to the Chelsea lineup this summer fueled speculation of Madueke’s exit from Stamford Bridge.
Despite appearing 34 times under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino in the previous season, Madueke could have justifiably worried about his position in the team, considering Chelsea’s influx of new talent over the summer. Nevertheless, the wave of conjecture didn’t unsettle him. In his words, “The constant chatter and speculation are par for the course when you’re part of a high-profile club like Chelsea. As a footballer, your main duty is to walk in every day and simply give your utmost. That was essentially my primary concentration.”
He continued, “I wasn’t paying too much heed to the comments being made about me. My primary focus was to commence the season on the best possible note. Fortunately, I’ve had a fairly good start.”
He downplayed the rumours, “They were just insinuations and such. I chose to concentrate solely on my game.”