Lee Carsley has revealed that his only communication with incoming England head coach Thomas Tuchel has been a brief exchange of messages, rather than a phone call.
Carsley, 50, is taking interim charge of England for the last time this month, with Nations League matches against Greece and the Republic of Ireland, before Tuchel takes over on 1 January. 51-year-old Tuchel signed to become the next England manager on October 8 and was unveiled to the world’s media eight days later.
But Carsley, speaking at St. George’s Park on Thursday afternoon as he unveiled his squad for next week’s games, admitted that his discussions with the man who is effectively replacing him have been limited so far.
“He hasn’t had any influence on the squad selection,” Carsley said. “I’ve spoken to him by text, by it’s literally: ‘Congratulations’. He’s highly respectful of the job myself and the staff are doing, so we’ve been left to it, like we always have.”
When asked later to clarify that he had not spoken to Tuchel on the phone, Carsley said they had not, and pointed to the fact Tuchel does not start until the new year.
Tuchel will begin his job as England head coach in 2025 (Getty Images)
“With the press conference they had [October 16], it was quite clear in terms of the starting date,” Carsley said.
“It was more of a text message to him which was ‘Congratulations.’ And he said: ‘Good luck for the window and look forward to meeting up’. He is fully respectful that I am in charge at the moment. That is the priority. I do not feel hard done by or shunned. If anything I look forward to hopefully creating a situation where we can hand over a healthy squad of players to the new coach and his squad.”
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When asked whether he had picked this squad with a view to what Tuchel would want, Carsley was clear: “No, I am quite selfish in that respect,” he said. “I picked the squad which I think can beat Greece and the Republic of Ireland.”
After Sunday’s game at Wembley, Carsley’s interim time in charge will come to an end. Next year he will return to his old job with England Under-21s. Ashley Cole, Carsley’s assistant when he was with the Under-21s, who now works with him full time with England seniors, will return with him. Cole left his job at Birmingham City in September to go full-time with the FA.
“Yes, Ash will stay with me,” Carsley said. “That was always the case. I tried to explain that last time. The under-21s staff always had a full-time assistant but because Ashley was at Birmingham, that’s why it went part-time. But yes he will stay with me.”
(Cameron Smith/Getty Images)
