Is this the moment Lee Carsley let slip Thomas Tuchel was getting England job ahead of him?
LEE CARSLEY appeared to let slip Thomas Tuchel was to be appointed England boss before the official announcement.
Former Chelsea boss Tuchel, 51, is was confirmed as Gareth Southgate’s permanent successor on Wednesday morning.
Carsley, 50, has taken interim charge of the national team for their four Nations League games in September and October.
However, his comments confused England fans following a 2-1 defeat to Greece last week as he appeared to state he will return to his job as U21 coach.
Following Sunday’s 3-1 win over Finland, he then appeared to rule himself out of managing the senior side by insisting the FA appoint a “world class coach who has won trophies”.
The comments also pointed towards a manager of the calibre of Tuchel being named.
And England striker Gary Lineker has given his take on how the managerial hunt has unfolded.
He believes Carsley was aware he was not getting the job full-time prior to this month’s two Nations League games – which led to him fielding an experimental team without a striker against Greece.
Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker said: “I think he knew even before the Greece game.
“Maybe that was one of the reasons why he thought ‘F*** it, I’m gonna play them all. I’m gonna play all the superstars in different positions, not going to bother with a No9 because Harry Kane’s not fit just to try something’.”
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS
Lineker then went on to add: “In the other match [Finland], [after] his quotes after the game I just thought ‘He knows something’.”
After the Greece defeat, Carsley, who won the U21 Euros last year, said: “I was surprised after the last camp [to hear], ‘The job’s mine, it’s mine to lose.’
“My remit is I am doing three camps and then hopefully going back to the Under-21s.”
Following the Finland win, he then added: “My bosses have made it clear what they need from me.
“This job deserves a world-class coach who has won trophies and I am still on the path to that.”