Lee Carsley is England’s first “tracksuit manager” in nearly 25 years, a big change from the well-dressed Gareth Southgate. The last time England had such a hands-on manager was with Kevin Keegan in 2000. Keegan used to lead training himself, just like Carsley, while Southgate often left that to his assistant, Steve Holland, and watched from the sidelines like a headteacher.
When Carsley was in charge of the England U21s, he would set up the training sessions himself, placing cones on the pitch before the players arrived. His approach hasn’t changed now that he’s temporarily in charge of the senior team. Unlike Southgate, who was known for wearing smart suits, often styled by Marks and Spencer, Carsley will stick to wearing a tracksuit for England’s game against the Republic of Ireland.
During the first training session with the senior team, Carsley had the players practicing with the ball within the first 10 minutes. This is quite different from Southgate’s sessions, where it was rare to see the ball used early on. Sometimes, the players would even throw a rubber chicken around to make fitness drills more fun! Carsley, however, is very focused on getting the players to spend as much time as possible with the ball and likes to work on tactical elements during training.
When Carsley led the U21 team to win last summer’s European Championship, he often didn’t play with a traditional striker, using Anthony Gordon as a false nine instead. That team also didn’t concede a single goal throughout the tournament, which shows how solid they were defensively.
This experience might be useful for Carsley now since Harry Kane is the only recognized striker left in the senior squad after Ollie Watkins, Cole Palmer, and Phil Foden had to withdraw due to injuries.
The absences, though, open up opportunities for new players like Morgan Gibbs-White, who is likely to make his senior debut in the next two games. Angel Gomes could also get his first game, along with Tino Livramento and Noni Madueke, who might see some playing time too.
It will be interesting to see how Carsley balances experienced players with newcomers in his first game. He plans to rely on key players like Jordan Pickford, Declan Rice, and Harry Kane, all of whom are likely to start the game in Dublin.
