Lee Carsley fears losing focus if he talks about permanent England job

Lee Carsley has tried to clarify why he's hesitant to express his desire for the England manager position permanently, emphasizing that it ultimately relates to maintaining a professional mindset.

The temporary manager has previously worked in a caretaker role at Coventry, Brentford, and Birmingham. He acknowledges that he invested too much time worrying about his future at those clubs, which made him lose focus on the tasks he needed to accomplish in the moment.

Carsley addressed the media following England's 3-1 victory over Finland in the Nations League held in Helsinki. This win served as a response to the tumultuous 2-1 loss to Greece at Wembley last Thursday.

"I'm definitely hesitant because in the past, when I've taken on a caretaker or temporary position, I ended up being so resistant to the idea of staying in the role that I didn't really fulfill my responsibilities," Carsley explained. "It's crucial for me to remain open-minded because, in that situation, I don't want to make any impulsive choices regarding the team. I'm carefully considering the team's playing style, how I should select the squad, and that presents its own challenges."

Carsley is likely to resume his position as the manager of the England Under-21 team once his temporary assignment with the senior team wraps up following the final round of Nations League group matches in November. However, there are growing uncertainties regarding his desire to take on the role permanently. In fact, Carsley didn’t provide much insight into his thoughts during the interview on Sunday, as he tried to maintain a balanced perspective but ended up swinging between two extremes.

"People will always want to take sides," Carsley said in an interview with ITV. "I prefer to stay neutral. My superiors have clearly communicated their expectations. This role requires a top-notch coach who has experience and has achieved success, and I’m still working towards that."

Carsley was questioned about his statement, as he doesn't seem to be recognized as a top-tier coach at this point. Did he think that taking on a permanent position might be premature for him?

"Absolutely not," he stated. "I did my best to clarify things. I was only responsible for three camps during my time as interim. What I wanted to emphasize is that it's one of the most prestigious positions in the world. I'm not involved in the selection process, but it really deserves an outstanding coach."

Carsley was asked if some might have understood his remarks to ITV as suggesting he was stepping back from consideration. Was that a misunderstanding? "Absolutely," he responded. "As I’ve mentioned, my focus is on giving my best. It’s a privilege to hold this position. I feel a strong sense of trust. This is a fantastic role, and whoever is appointed will certainly deserve it."

Carsley emphasized that the ongoing speculation about future developments wasn't bothering him. "No, not at all. I totally get why you in the media might feel frustrated about it. I completely understand that, because like everyone else, everyone wants some clarity during this process."

“I believe my responsibilities regarding the three camps were well defined. I’m not the type to continuously ask John [McDermott, the Football Association's technical director] for updates. The job is challenging enough as it is right now, so I feel at ease in that regard. However, I can see why you might feel frustrated.”