Lee Carsley comments on his role as England’s interim manager following the victory over Finland.

**Carsley: Not Singing the National Anthem Doesn’t Diminish My Commitment**

Lee Carsley has candidly admitted that he still feels “uncomfortable” in the role of England manager, despite leading the Three Lions to two consecutive victories in his first two matches at the helm. Currently serving as interim manager following Gareth Southgate’s departure, Carsley has overseen solid 2-0 wins against both Ireland and Finland in the opening fixtures of the Nations League.

His transition mirrors that of Southgate, who also made the leap from managing the under-21s to the senior side. Notably, Carsley guided the under-21s to European Championship glory last year, clinching the title with a 1-0 victory over Spain, thanks to a decisive goal from Curtis Jones.

However, despite his success at the youth level, Carsley has expressed that he is still finding his feet in the senior role. “I definitely don’t feel comfortable in the role,” he told ITV after the win against Finland. “I’ve definitely been out of my comfort zone this international window. It’s been enjoyable, but I’ve had to ensure that every single day I’m producing really high standards along with the rest of the staff.”

Carsley acknowledged the importance of building on the positive results, stating, “We try and do as good a job as we can, and we’ve been fortunate to get two good results. It’s about building on that now.”

One player who has thrived under Carsley’s management is Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold. The defender, who struggled to find his form under Southgate, excelled in a “different position” during the match. Carsley praised Alexander-Arnold’s performance, saying, “You’ve seen from Trent an array of passing and the ability to control the game from a deeper area and get into forward areas as well. It’s not a surprise seeing Trent do that for Liverpool this season and throughout his career.”

Meanwhile, Harry Kane, who scored both goals in the match, spoke about his “hunger” to continue finding the net for England, despite facing criticism during the Euro 2024 campaign. “It was a big night for me,” Kane reflected. “Obviously proud to reach the 100 caps; there was a lot of talk about it. You know what I’m like; I want to score and help the team. It was great to be able to do that today.”

Kane added, “Whenever you’re doubted throughout your career, it makes you more hungry and determined to prove people wrong and prove to yourself that you can still play at a high level. I always back myself to score goals, especially in a team like this creating the chances that we do. I’m excited for the future.”

In their post-match interviews, Carsley and Kane exchanged words of mutual respect. Carsley praised Kane’s performance, saying, “I thought he took his two goals really well. It was a big occasion for him. His kids and his wife were here; an emotional bit, I would imagine. Really happy for Harry. The way he’s conducted himself this week fully deserves all the plaudits he’s going to get.”

Kane reciprocated the praise, commenting on Carsley’s approach: “He’s come with a great energy. He talks a lot about freedom and playing with your best attributes, attacking and hurting the other team without the ball; suffocating teams. We’ve done that well in the two games. Of course, there’s room for improvement, but it’s a good start for him and it’s been great to work with him.”

As Carsley continues to navigate his interim role, the early signs suggest a promising future for both him and the England team.