Alan Shearer Exclusive: England job is Lee Carsley's if they beat Greece and Finland | OneFootball

Alan Shearer

Betfair ambassador Shearer expects convincing England wins over Greece and Finland

Betfair ambassador Alan Shearer says Lee Carsley is two wins away from getting the England manager's job permamently, backs Bukayo Saka to be a future Three Lions captain and makes predictions for the Nations League matches against Greece and Finland...

Opportunity for Carsley to lead England to World Cup 2026

The two games England have this time around in the Nations League - against Greece (Thursday) and Finland (Sunday) - give Lee Carsley and his staff another unbelievable opportunity to state their claim for the permanent Three Lions job.

Six months ago, Carsley was doing a very good job coaching the U21s and now, he's the frontrunner to get the senior England job and lead this team blessed with so much talent.

What Lee has at his disposal is phenomenal and he's now got the opportunity to keep hold of the job and lead England into a World Cup, especially if these next four games go as well as what we expect and hope.

Because England were relegated in the Nations League, it may have fallen into place for him with us playing in a group which hasn't got the greatest quality.

This is Carsley's opportunity to take this England squad and beat Greece and Finland with a bit of quality, class and style.

If he does that then I'd expect him to be named the permanent England manager.

Saka is impossible to stop

Bukayo Saka is absolutely sensational in everything he does. He gets whacked every single game, opponents try to double up on him, kick him and he just goes out and performs with such consistency.

He's an incredible talent, has a great personality and is impossible not to like. His attitude is second to none; think of the way he has responded to what happened to him with England in 2021, and the way he's moved on from it. He's just a phenomenal talent, and he's so gutsy and tough as well.

I've been there when everyone is trying to mark you out of the game and it's tough. You can bet your bottom dollar that he's the talk of the opposition dressing room before games.

Many have tried but few have stopped him. He's just incredible, almost impossible to stop, and such a wonderful talent.

Arsenal star has attributes to be England captain

It wouldn't surprise me to see Saka as a future England captain too. He's already captained Arsenal and because of his attitude, ability, and the way everyone looks up to him, that to me shows he has all the attributes to weart he armband for his country.

When his team needs you the most to pull something out the bag, Saka can do that. I am 100% certain Saka could be a future England captain.

Pickford not in danger of losing England shirt

I don't think Jordan Pickford has ever let anyone down, especially as England's goalkeeper. He's played in some big games, big tournaments and been involved in huge moments.

He can be eccentric at times, with the way he reacts to certain situations, but he's never, ever let England down and has always been a fantastic goalkeeper. You can only say good things about him in an England shirt.

England do have some good back-up 'keepers but whether any one of them are as good as Pickford in terms of the whole package, I'm not sure.

You must be great with your feet now as a goalkeeper, you have to be brilliant and, and for a while now, there hasn't been anyone whose seriously challenged Pickford.

Admiration for young English players abroad

During my career, there was talk of me moving abroad, but nothing was ever serious. There were discussions with one or two clubs, but nothing ever got to the point where I had to think seriously about it.

Young English players should never be afraid of moving abroad and so many are doing that now. Conor Gallgher, who joined Atletico Madrid in the summer, followed in the footsteps of Tammy Abraham, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Jude Bellingham and Fikayo Tomori to name a few.

If you're not getting the recognition or game time at your football club in England, then I'm full of admiration for the players who are willing to go and ply their trade abroad.

Everything's different, even more so if you have children and it's great for them because they're able to learn a different language. It's great for you if you're playing on a regular basis and you've been brave enough to take that leap.

Gallagher had to leave Chelsea for his own career

The issue Gallagher had was when Chelsea started paying the vast amounts of money for people like Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez, then it was always going to be difficult for a local lad to stay and play because, essentially, those players have to play to justify the transfer fee.

That leaves people like Gallagher with a decision to make because you're not going to play regularly, they're always going to be ahead of you, and they'll always be on more money than you. So you have to say good luck to the guys that do choose to go abroad.

Solanke earned his England recall

Once Ivan Toney moved to Saudi Arabia, there was always going to be another spot for a forward to get into the England squad.

Dominic Solanke didn't have the best start to the season with Tottenham but there was always going to be an opportunity if he started to score a couple of goals.

He's performed better over the last few weeks and has scored a few goals so it's now up to him to maintain that. If anything happens to Watkins or Kane, Solanke may get an opportunity for England.

Kane is still England's first choice

There's no one better than Harry Kane so if he carries on playing international football, which I don't doubt he will, then it'll be very, very difficult for Watkins or Solanke to push him to one side.

It'll probably be more of a bit-part role if Harry gets injured or needs to come off. That'll be the role for Watkins and Dominic until Kane decides it's time to go.

The thing is, England are not blessed with several great centre forwards. I harp on about this, but when I go back to my time in the Premier League and look at the list of centre forwards then compared to what there is now - and I know the role has changed a bit - there's a dearth of talent in that number nine area amongst English players.

Carsley must upset top players for England's benefit

The same cannot be said for the spots behind Kane. It's never a problem having too many good players, it's only a problem when you haven't got enough of them.

The current England job is exactly what you would want as a manager or a coach with the players available. Carsley has got Saka, Phil Foden, Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Jack Grealish and Anthony Gordon to name a few, and I don't care who he chooses to play, so long as England win games.

If he has to leave out and upset one or two players then so be it. That's the beauty of this current England job, you're going to have to upset a few because you've so many fantastic players.

Foden won the Player of the Season last year and rightly so, but has hardly played so far this season, whereas Palmer has started like a train. Saka has been ridiculously good, too.

Bellingham had an injury but is coming back so the talent there is unbelievable, and they'd walk into most teams. We're lucky they're English.

Alan Shearer's England predictions

I don't expect any trouble for England in their Nations League matches against Greece and Finland this week.

It'll never be a breeze at any level but these two games, just like the last two, will be comfortable.

England should win both matches, convincingly.

Scotland have a tough ask in the Nations League

Just as it's a blessing for Carsley that England were relegated in the Nations League, it's more difficult for Scotland who were promoted.

It's great to be able to go and play all these games but in terms of results and performances, it's always going to be tough for Scotland mixing it with the big boys.

John McGinn is injured, he's one of their better players and if Scotland are going to compete at this level, they need every one of their players in tip top condition.

It'd be tough for them even if they had a full squad to choose from.

It was a wise decision for Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay to move countries and experience something different, not only on a football pitch but in life as well.

I wonder what McTominay thinks, looking back at what Manchester United are doing this season - or rather what they are not doing in terms of performances on the pitch.

Scott will look at himself and think he's made the right decision because it looks as if the move to Napoli is going well for him.

He's already scored a couple of goals, he's developing a good relationship with Romelu Lukaku, and it looks like he's enjoying it so from his point of view, he clearly made the right decision.