As Lee Carsley prepares to hand over the reins of England to Thomas Tuchel, he’s passed on some final words of wisdom.
England’s Nations League clash against Ireland will be Carsley’s last as interim Three Lions boss before Tuchel takes over on January 1.
The soon-to-be six-game stint in charge has certainly been an eye-opening experience for Carsley, who will return to the familiar surrounds of England Under-21 duties.
But in the time Carsley has been in charge of the senior national team, he’s learned first-hand just how invested people all across the country are in the team.
It’s why Carsley will tip Tuchel off about avoiding service stations if he doesn’t want his squad selections and tactics called into question.
“It makes me laugh that everyone’s got an opinion on the team,” Carsley said.
“I’m on the road a lot, so service stations is where I seem to get the most advice. Some of it is good, some of it is not so good.
“I seem to met a lot of West Ham fans, very Jarrod [Bowen]-heavy.
“It’s mainly team selection… I was in a queue in a Starbucks and a fella was talking about the false nine and the tactics, after the Greece game. I just wanted a soy latte.”
However, Carsley is wise enough to recognise Tuchel’s managerial pedigree, so he won’t need to part with much advice anyway.
“He is in a better position than I am in terms of experience he has had and the staff he has,” Carsley said.
“It will probably be more about the players, the personalities and the stuff you won’t see on the TV.
“I’m putting together a lot of thoughts, as are the rest of the staff.
“I fully expect to catch up with him after the camp, and hopefully we can hand the team over in a good position.”
Although Carsley’s interim tenure will only have lasted six games, he has played a key role in bringing through some of England’s next generation.
Morgan Rogers, Morgan Gibbs-White, Angel Gomes, Noni Madueke, Curtis Jones and Lewis Hall have all made their senior debuts under Carsley, with all six players aged 24 or under.
According to the interim boss, it’s all about providing Tuchel with more options to choose from when the March international window rolls around.
“What we have tried to do is increase the amount of players available to Thomas,” Carsley said.
“It feels like the fans are really connected with the team. They like the fact that it looks younger, it looks energetic, it looks fresh.”
Carsley will look to guide England back to the top division in the Nations League by beating Ireland at Wembley on Sunday.
