Football News: Lee Carsley Emerges as Potential England Manager Candidate

According to talkSPORT, Lee Carsley would be considered as a contender to replace Gareth Southgate as the England national team manager. This comes as the Football Association (FA) has drawn up a contingency plan in case Southgate decides to leave his post after the Euro 2024 tournament, as he has strongly hinted.

Carsley, who is the current under-21 England manager, is highly regarded after leading the team to Euro glory last summer. He had also previously turned down the opportunity to manage the Republic of Ireland earlier this year.

Other Potential Candidates

Other potential candidates to take over the England job include the out-of-work Graham Potter and Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, with the FA’s preference being to appoint homegrown talent. However, the FA insists that they have not spoken to any potential successors and their desire is for Southgate to lead the Three Lions to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Southgate’s Future in Doubt

The chances of Southgate remaining in charge beyond Euro 2024 are looking increasingly remote, as he has come under intense pressure for England’s performances in the ongoing tournament in Germany. The Three Lions qualified for the knockout stages, but did so in underwhelming fashion, winning just one game and drawing two in a group with relatively low-ranked teams in the FIFA standings.

Southgate’s future as England manager has been a subject of discussion, with the 53-year-old acknowledging that if the team does not win at Euro 2024, he “probably won’t be here any more.” The former England defender has been in charge since 2016, with his best achievements being a World Cup semi-final in 2018 and England’s second-ever major tournament final at Euro 2020.

Bookmakers’ Odds

As for the potential next England manager, the bookmakers have placed Graham Potter as the 2/1 favorite, followed by Lee Carsley and Eddie Howe at 6/1 each. Other names in the running include Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, and Mauricio Pochettino, all at 8/1 or 10/1 odds.

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