Lee Carsley has been named interim head coach of England’s senior men’s team as they prepare for the 2024-25 UEFA Nations League campaign. Carsley, who has been leading the men’s under-21 (MU21) team since July 2021, will step up for the September fixtures against the Republic of Ireland and Finland. His tenure may extend through the autumn as the FA continues its search for a permanent head coach.
Carsley, 50, guided the Young Lions to their first UEFA U21 European Championship victory since 1984 last year. He has held various coaching roles within England’s development teams and briefly managed the MU20s. As a player, Carsley earned 40 caps for the Republic of Ireland and made over 300 Premier League appearances with Blackburn, Coventry, Everton, and Birmingham.
Despite his limited senior managerial experience, Carsley expressed his honor at leading the England squad on an interim basis. “I am very familiar with the players and the cycle of international football, so it makes sense for me to guide the team while the FA continues the recruitment process for a new manager. My main priority is to ensure continuity and secure promotion in the UEFA Nations League,” he said.
Carsley has been involved in the last three major tournaments, supporting the technical team at UEFA EURO 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, and UEFA EURO 2024 in Germany. He also has extensive club-level experience, having worked with the first teams at Coventry City, Sheffield United, Brentford, Manchester City, and Birmingham City.
FA CEO Mark Bullingham praised Carsley, stating, “Lee is a fantastic coach well known to the majority of our current senior squad. He offers a strong interim solution, and we are confident he will perform well in the upcoming UEFA Nations League games. We are grateful to Lee for stepping up while we continue our recruitment process.”
In Carsley’s absence, Ben Futcher will manage the MU21s for the September 2025 U21 EURO qualifiers. England is in UEFA Nations League B Group 2, alongside Finland, Greece, and the Republic of Ireland.