England sealed their promotion to League A of the Nations League with a dominant 5-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland at Wembley, bringing Lee Carsley’s interim tenure as head coach to a triumphant close.
Carsley, who took over following Gareth Southgate’s resignation in July, concluded his six-game spell with five wins and a single defeat. Reflecting on the result, he expressed relief at guiding the team back to the competition’s top tier.
“I definitely felt like I have been out of my comfort zone but not beyond my capabilities,” Carsley said. “I never felt at any point I was drowning or I was struggling. I’ve taken the confidence that myself and the rest of the staff will be OK. I think we have got stronger as the [international] windows have gone on.”
Thomas Tuchel will now take over as England’s head coach on January 1, with the team poised to begin preparations for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Carsley admitted that his lone defeat, a 2-1 loss to Greece in October, still lingers. “I’m still gutted about the Greece game at home,” he said. “Even though we won five of the six, I straight away go back to that game we should have won at Wembley. It’s definitely a lonely place in that dugout when you’re not winning at Wembley.”
An extraordinary victory at @wembleystadium 👏
The win confirms England have topped #NationsLeague Group B2 and secured promotion to League A for 2026-27. pic.twitter.com/Uz4ctG7BXS
— England (@England) November 17, 2024
Despite the setback, Carsley’s tenure saw significant positives, including the development of younger players. He handed debuts to eight players and fielded seven from the squad that won the European Under-21 Championship under his guidance in 2023.
“We have tried to change things,” he remarked. “We have tried to adapt and move on the style, the way that we play, the control, the amount of possession we have, the amount of chances we create. There has been no resistance to that. If anything, they have taken that on.”
Speaking about the final game, Carsley praised his players’ energy and determination. “I spoke to the players at half-time at 0-0 and I was really happy with the way the crowd responded to the players as they went off the pitch. I said, ‘We’re going to score. I’ve got total belief that you are going to score, so just keep going.’ It was pleasing to get five goals.”
Finishing our #NationsLeague group campaign on a high… 🤩 @HKane‘s late goal helped the #ThreeLions to a dramatic victory against Croatia #OnThisDay in 2018 🙌 pic.twitter.com/4HLgA8Mqms
— England (@England) November 18, 2024
The promotion is a significant boost for England, ensuring Tuchel can focus solely on World Cup qualifiers without the distraction of Nations League playoffs. For Carsley, the journey has been challenging but rewarding.
“It’d be fair to say there’s a bit of relief,” he acknowledged. “It’s good that we’ve finished the campaign with such a strong performance.”
