England manager update: No contact with top four candidates as Lee Carsley’s chances increase | OneFootball

Lee Carsley’s chances of obtaining the England head coach job on a permanent basis have been increased as the Football Association have not made contact with any of their top targets for the role.

The position of England head coach has been vacant following the departure of Gareth Southgate over the summer as the 54-year-old walked away from the Three Lions after eight years in charge.

Despite a lot of criticism, the English coach revolutionised the national team as he made the camp a happy place to be and that showed on the pitch as England reached the final of two European Championships and the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup during Southgate’s reign.

With no major tournament on the horizon, the FA decided to allow Carsley to continue Southgate’s work temporarily but the 50-year-old’s chances of getting the England job have increased according to the latest reports.

According to Sky Sports, the FA has had no contact with Jurgen Klopp, Graham Potter, Eddie Howe or Thomas Tuchel in its search for a new England manager. The four coaches were widely thought to be at the forefront of the FA’s shortlist to succeed Southgate and this suggests that the organisation is moving towards appointing Carsley permanently.

Only Howe is currently employed by Newcastle, therefore, there is no excuse for the FA not to be enquiring about the remaining trio.

Lee Carsley is the current head coach of England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

The FA may target top Premier League manager to replace Lee Carsley as England boss

Carsley oversaw England’s opening UEFA Nations League clashes in September with the Three Lions defeating the Republic of Ireland and Finland 2-0 and it is believed that the FA were impressed with how the national team played.

The quality of the opponents certainly impacted the way the Three Lions looked last time out, which means it is way too early to decide on Carsley.

However, the former Everton star may hold the role for a while longer as the FA could be keeping an eye on Pep Guardiola’s situation at Man City as the Spanish coach’s contract with the Premier League champions expires at the end of the season.

The former Barcelona boss has been linked with the England job already but his situation is one to keep an eye on throughout 2025.