In a decision by the football authorities, Lee Carsley is set to make his debut as a senior international manager, although temporarily, on the 7th of September, facing England in Dublin representing Ireland. The roles are not reversed. There’s a stark contrast between the England’s Football Association (FA) and Ireland’s Football Association (FAI), with one being in their approach to succession planning.
During the time when Lee Carsley was being considered to take over from Stephen Kenny, there was a news piece by the Daily Mail in January indicating that Carsley, a past Everton and Ireland midfielder, was remaining in his England under-21 coach role. It suggested that he was being prepared to take over from Gareth Southgate post Euro 2024.
In recent times, FA has been more inclined to promote internal candidates, mainly influenced by Southgate’s successful stint as England’s manager since his promotion from the under-21 team in 2016. This came after Sam Allardyce lost his managerial role due to an exposé in a newspaper after just a single match.
However, when Carsley, who earned 40 international caps playing for Ireland from 1997 to 2008, led the under-21s to a European championship win last year, defeating Spain in the finale with a 1-0 score, a comeback to his national roots seemed the logical course. It was expected that a successful domestic club manager like Graham Potter, Eddie Howe or even Pep Guardiola would replace ‘Sir Gareth’.
Carsley did engage in discussions with FAI recruiters, directed by director of football Marc Canham, nonetheless he concluded that his career would prosper at St George’s Park.
During March, he disclosed, “I had a chat with [the FAI],” he described the interaction as casual and pleasant, lasting about an hour. However, it didn’t go any further. He enjoyed learning about their perspectives and gauging whether he was ready for the next step in his career. That was as far as it went. He didn’t push it any further.”
Canham later highlighted that the FAI’s main candidate to guide Ireland towards the 2026 World Cup qualifiers was in fact Heimir Hallgrímsson. This could be true, but from some Irish Times columns Carsley wrote more than a decade ago, it can inferred that he has long had an ambition to manage Ireland.
Following the disappointing performance of the Giovanni Trapattoni-led team at Euro 2012 – where they lost all group matches against Croatia, Italy, and Spain – Canham expressed an interest in finding a new playing strategy for Irish football. He penned his thoughts, emphasising the need for a unified style of play from novice to professional levels. Canham, who transitioned from managing Premier League acadicemies in 2022, referred to his philosophy as “the green line”, also previously implemented by him and Carsley in English football.
Carsley explained that Coventry City works with a coaching methodology that begins with players as young as ten and extends to the first-team squad – a strategy used by top clubs globally. Coventry City was the concluding destination in Carsley’s professional playing career, spanning 18 seasons and five clubs. In 2011, he ended his playing career and pivoted to coaching. Notably, Carsley’s expertise impressed Coventry enough to retain him as a youth team coach.
Whether providing insights into the mindset of professional sportspersons or delivering poignant analysis, Carsley, a frequent guest columnist, has a knack for standing out. Over a decade later, having served as interim manager in clubs like Coventry, Brentford, Birmingham City, and as under-18 coach in Manchester City under Guardiola, his commitment remains apparent.
He is determined to dispel the notion that the absence of world-class talents limits Ireland’s potential to compete on par with nations like Croatia, Spain, or Italy. He uses Greece’s victory in the Euros, despite lacking world-renowned players, as an example, attributing their success to a structured system where every player was knowledgeable and trusted their manager’s guidance.
Carsley astoundingly pinpointed a vulnerability in the then-unbeatable Spanish team, suggesting that Ireland could have bettered their chances by focusing their efforts on players like Xavi, Iniesta, Xabi Alonso, and Sergio Busquets.
“If I were part of the Irish squad this week, I’d dedicate time to analyse Chelsea’s performance with 10 men against Camp Nou in the Champions League semi-final,” he shared, referring to the unforgettable 2012 semi-final where Chelsea triumphed 3-2 in total, despite the ejection of John Terry in the first half.
“Chelsea portrayed unity, being closely-knit in their tactics. If Messi, who’s role Iniesta mostly takes up for Spain, slipped past a player, another would swiftly swoop in for a counter,” he noticed.
While the Irish may be predictable, according to the him, Spain doesn’t escape this too. “Spain’s strategy remains the same, even when they’re trailing,” he pointed out.
He had recently returned from a visit to Barcelona’s La Masia academy, where he also saw Guardiola instructing the premier team. “Barcelona and Spain’s immediate reaction to winning the ball back, often praised for their tiki-taka style of play, was one of the aspects that stood out for me. It’s a game of pressure applying the rule of six seconds. Once they’re devoid of possession, the optimal moment to regain it is the ensuing six seconds.
“However, it’s more nuanced. The moment they lose control of the ball, the players immediately occupy the vacant spaces, closing down passing avenues with the objective to intercept more than tackle.”
As a player last seen wearing the green jersey against Brazil at Croke Park in 2008, he was disappointed by their lacklustre performance in Euro 2012. Unlike several other media pundits, when Spain defeated Ireland 4-0, he started looking for answers and better tactics.
“As a novice coach, I’d be keen to discuss in details with Giovanni Trapattoni about his unwavering commitment to a faltering strategy. Despite my respect for him and his impressive portfolio, I fail to grasp his thought processes.
“I organize training sessions where a group is faced with one attack after another. This is how the Spanish game looks to me: a driller in defence that leads to a hasty clear. Something typically seen in the final five minutes of a game when you’re leading by a short margin.
“I spend a good amount of time mulling over the right formation for a team,” he added. “It’s the last thing on my mind before I hit the sack, I dream about it and wake up jotting down ideas over breakfast. I couldn’t control it, especially after the Croatian and Spanish matches either.”
Digging deeper, he pondered on his strategy and approach if he ever helmed the Republic of Ireland team against Spain.
The original text suggests that Aiden McGeady and Damien Duff should have been tasked with pressuring the full backs, while Robbie Keane was positioned to exploit the shortcomings of the more risk-prone Spanish centre back, Piqué. This strategy would have set the stage for Keane to galvanise his teammates, and Ramos, having received the ball, would have exposed the team’s game plan to his Irish rivals, who would then adjust their expectations accordingly. The following sequence would have entailed Casillas being compelled to launch the ball, dragging the game onto Ireland’s home turf.
The statement culminates in invoking memories of iconic Irish games from Stuttgart to the Giants stadium. Carsely highlights the importance of a team’s ability to fluctuate between different in-game strategies. He lays out a hypothetical alternative, in which pressure was applied to the centre back, while tightening defences elsewhere. Plan C would involve adopting a defensive stance and regaining formation. This was their executed strategy, albeit it was their only one.
Carsley suggests that versatility in football is crucial. He attributes much of his own coaching knowledge to David Moyes, during his time at Everton, who would frequently signal for game-strategy changes, shifting between 4-3-3, 4-5-1 and 4-4-2 formations, in response to perceived weaknesses in their opponents’ play or alterations. The tactic was constantly refined in practice, characterising the ongoing intellectual contest between managers.
Carsley acknowledges Ireland’s disappointing one point to nine deficit in the Euro 2012. Despite the fact that the ultimate finalists were Spain and Italy, Ireland made a rather dismal departure. Carsley criticises the team’s performance, insinuating there was something amiss, but he pointedly refrains from calling out his earlier colleagues by their names, following a varying stint on Ireland’s team. This experience influences his coaching methods when working with a player finding it difficult to replicate their club performance while donning the England jersey.
Lee Carsley often expressed his difficulty in duplicating his club performance when he took to the field on an international level. Despite his numerous attempts to figure out the cause, he was left baffled. A vital fixture saw Carsley commit a costly handball during a Euro 2000 play-off at Lansdowne Road, leading to Tayfun Korkut’s equaliser from the resulting penalty. This crucial error saw Turkey proceed to the next round, thanks to the away-goal ruling.
During the 2022 World Cup, despite the early exit of Roy Keane, Carsley saw minimal field time against Saudi Arabia. Mick McCarthy opted for Matt Holland and Mark Kinsella over him. Carsley decided to step away from international football in 2005, only to be welcomed back to the starting lineup under Steve Staunton for the Euro 2008 qualifiers.
Carsley voiced his disappointment about Ireland’s showing in Poland, stating that the supporters would be rightfully angered. He shared this experience with young athletes from Coventry, emphasizing the importance of putting up a fight, even in defeat. He stated that Ireland’s opponents used to dread their matches as they anticipated difficult encounters.
Here’s a glimpse of Carsley’s career, both as a player and a coach:
As a player, his career spanned from 1994 to 2011, where he appeared for various clubs. His stint with Derby County saw him make 138 appearances, scoring five goals. He then went on to Blackburn Rovers, where he made 46 appearances and scored 10 goals. At Coventry City, he had 47 appearances and scored four times. His most notable tenure was with Everton, where he made 166 appearances and netted 12 goals. He also spent a brief period with Birmingham City and returned to Coventry City before retiring. His Premier League record stands at 282 appearances and 15 goals, and in the EFL Championship, he posted 66 appearances netting two goals.
As a coach, Carsley took charge of Coventry City in a caretaker role in 2013. He led Brentford and Man City’s Under-18 team in subsequent years and then returned to Birmingham City in 2017.
The England u21s team showcased an impressive performance between 2021-23. They secured victories in 23 matches, experienced a single draw, and suffered losses in 5 matches. With this outstanding record of 81:20, they clinched the championship title at the 2023 European Championships.