New era off to winning start as England’s ‘snakes’ bite back

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The new dawn of post-Gareth. The return of Jack Grealish. Whatever this England side is to become, a reminder that there are many good players out there – and configuring them effectively is not as simple as many supposed in the late days of Southgate.
Whether the Lee Carsley era survives beyond Christmas, there is no question about the scale of talent available to England. It will all hinge on the details of how they decide to approach the next two years up to the 2026 World Cup finals. This was not a radical departure from what had come before but, 55 days on from the final of Euro 2024, it was at least the germ of a new idea.
England were dominant in the first half – and once the jeopardy of the occasion ebbed away they coasted in the second. They were up against a Republic of Ireland team facing growing scepticism at home, bereft of the kind of talent it has been able to call upon in the past and facing two of its greatest hopes in England shirts. Declan Rice and Grealish were proclaimed, on a banner made for the occasion, as “the snakes” on their return to Dublin. Turned away from a previous Irish affiliation by Gareth Southgate the pair were the goalscorers for England.
Rice is now one of the game’s best midfielders – a man who can do everything in that position. Grealish, restored by Carsley to a new team and a new system, as a more conventional No 10, must have felt himself at the centre of England in a way he rarely has previously. He played centrally and sometimes wide and was given the scope to find space.
Both he and Rice were booed relentlessly at first by the home crowd, but even that lost its edge as the gap in quality between the two sides became clear. There was only one way this Nations League game would become a contest and that was with an intensity from the home side that might somehow carry the team with them. But it felt a faint hope. England, whatever happened in July, are now a high-quality side who have spent much time together. It takes a lot to rattle them.
This was a 4-2-3-1 shape, rather than the 4-3-3 to which Southgate was generally wedded. Anthony Gordon on the left wing, was played as an aggressive fast winger, pushing back Seamus Coleman. At right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold played as he does at Liverpool, with the game’s best pass in the build-up to the first goal, and then at other times stepping into midfield. That is the kind of clarity a new manager can offer, although Carsley’s side were rarely tested.
On his return to the Aviva Stadium, Declan Rice fires @England ahead with a thumping strike 💥Watch #IREvENG on @ITV pic.twitter.com/yoBbQiDITC
The new manager, fresh from his first storm over his reluctance to sing the national anthem, came out for the start of the game and mistakenly sat on the home bench. He made the joke later that over 40 caps for Ireland he did, in the course of his international career, sit on the bench a lot. The booing of “God Save the King” was sufficiently intense to drown out any trace of it, but in terms of an atmosphere that was about as interesting as it got.
Carsley gave debuts to his former Under-21s, Morgan Gibbs-White and Angel Gomes. By the time they came on in the second half it was hard pretending that there was anything like the pressure of a Euros summer. That is where England now appear to belong, in the late knockout stages of international tournaments. These early season international breaks barely touch the sides by comparison. “Not just national games but national events,” was how Southgate described England tournament games. This was relatively becalmed.
In the Ireland goal, there was an excellent performance from the Liverpool second-choice Caoimhim Kelleher who kept his side nominally in the game. Otherwise Ireland’s players felt the growing despair of their fans, especially at the end of the first half when England’s defenders passed the ball between themselves untroubled by their opponents.
Ireland’s new Icelandic manager Heimir Hallgrimsson, the former dentist who oversaw his nation’s elimination of England from Euro 2016, was taking charge of his first game . His players began aggressively. Robbie Brady kicked Bukayo Saka. Nathan Collins did the same to Grealish. There was the scent of a back-post chance for the West Bromwich Albion midfielder Jayson Molumby. The Ipswich Town midfielder Chiedozie Ogbene was Ireland’s best hope of gaining territory. But there was no attacking threat of any note and one shot on target all game, after 11 minutes.
Ireland would also later lose Coleman to injury. But it was the midfielder who now has 59 caps for England in five and a half years – he has barely missed a game – who did the most damage. Rice also has three caps for Ireland and it was in winning those that Southgate realised what a good player the English might lose out on.
Rice is dominant at any level now. His game is so complete that it is hard to know what to do against him. Press him and he can confidently step round opposition into space. Stand off and he can pass. He steals the ball high up the pitch. He covers an astonishing amount of ground. If there is a single criticism it might be his goal return and yet here he was in the Irish box at the critical moment.
The move was begun by a pass of great quality from Alexander-Arnold, that was swept from the right channel with his right foot, hit with fade and then holding its line. Gordon ran onto it and Kelleher made the save. Harry Kane could not force the rebound in and Rice arrived in the next wave to sweep it past Kelleher.
It was indicative of the Irish problem – too many good players on the other side, arriving one after the other. Rice remembered where he was just in time to stifle the celebration in front of the England fans.
You couldn’t write this…Declan Rice finds Jack Grealish who scores for England against the Republic of Ireland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇮🇪#IREvENG pic.twitter.com/6nRvwuxMfX
By then England were just too good for Ireland. A break from an Irish free-kick meant Kelleher had to save again from Kane. The second goal was one of the best moves England have scored from in a while: Rice to Kobbie Mainoo to Rice to Saka to Rice and crossed for Grealish. The other former Irishman in the England team took his chance without blinking.
▪️ His first win as England interim boss▪️ Jack Grealish’s return▪️ His style of play▪️ Anthony Gordon’s performanceLee Carsley spoke to @GabrielClarke05 after England beat Ireland pic.twitter.com/e48vhRkPcJ
😁😁 pic.twitter.com/fDJc0p3ER2
“We scored hundreds of goals under Gareth Southgate like that. That goes under the radar, we scored some amazing goals under Gareth. 
“It’s been really refreshing this week working with Lee Carsley. I’ve really enjoyed it and so have all the lads. To win today and get off to a good start was the main thing for us.”
”[The reception] is what me and Declan [Rice] expected. I said before the game, it’s different; we have nothing bad to say.
“We both enjoyed our time playing here, I have a lot of Irish in my family. There’s no bad blood whatsoever from my side. Obviously, going back to myself – I need to start playing regularly and scoring goals, and that’s what I did today. I did that today and didn’t feel 100 per cent fit, fit, but I’m happy.”
“It meant everything today. Going to the fans at the end, hearing them singing my name, there’s no better feeling than playing for England especially in games like this where you know the whole nation is watching you.
“It was one of the worst summers of my life, because you can’t not see everything happening in front of you. It was difficult, but it’s given me more motivation to bounce back.”
“The second half, the performance felt to me like England took their foot off the gas a bit.
“The way we started, the way we played, I thought we should have pressed it home a little bit more. I thought we would have played with the same intensity, see if we could get three or four, be more ruthless.”
“I thought they were awful in the second half!” 😳Roy Keane wasn’t impressed by England in the second half 🔊#IREENG pic.twitter.com/wIDiNarZtw
“The first half and second half were two very different performances from England. It was almost a case of ‘job done’ at half time.
“In the firs half there was a real forward thinking, England wanted to attack at every opportunity, they scored a few goals and could have gotten a few more.
“After half time we spoke about what we wanted to see from England, and the answer was more of the same. They weren’t able to keep the same tempo. It was about game management and full control.
“The Republic of Ireland were there for the beating today and England should have won the game by a lot more goals than they did.”
Give your views on that match in the comments section. The second half was not as good as the first but still plenty of positives to take for Lee Carsley and England, who probably should have won that game 4-0. Kelleher pulled off some great saves to deny Carsley’s men but England should have been more clinical in the second half. A number of good performances so who was your man of the match? Trent Alexander-Arnold, Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon, Jack Grealish, someone else?
On the pitch for his #ThreeLions debut 😍👏 @Morgangibbs27 pic.twitter.com/tuqrWIiRuW
Joining the #ThreeLions family. Congratulations, @agomes_47! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/puoX1l2GFD
There is the final whistle and Lee Carsley’s interim tenure begins with a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Declan Rice and Jack Grealish.
England are back in action on Tuesday night against Finland at Wembley.
Job done in Dublin.The perfect start to our #NationsLeague campaign in Lee Carsley’s first game as interim head coach 💪 pic.twitter.com/eklMp8SsVJ
Another excellent save by Kelleher. Gibbs-White sends Saka in behind. The Arsenal forward opens up his body to try and find the far corner but Kelleher pulls off a great diving save. Eze tries to head the rebound goalwards but it goes over the bar.
Saka sends in a cross from the right, which picks out Bowen. His shot is brilliantly saved by Kelleher to deny England a third goal.
Ogbene stands up a cross to the far post, where McAteer goes down wanting a penalty, which is never going to be given.
Five added minutes at the end of this match.
Eze tries his luck from distance but it does not trouble Kelleher’s goal.
Bowen is straight into the action. Despite being fouled, he drives towards the Ireland box and shoots, which forces Kelleher into a save.
Double England change:
OFF Maguire, Kane
ON Stones, Bowen
The home side send in a dangerous cross from the left to the back post, where Colwill does well to clear his lines.
The home side are going to make a change:
OFF Brady
ON Ferguson
Brady gifts the ball away so poorly straight to Kane, but he takes too long and the chance goes.
Triple England change:
OFF Grealish, Mainoo, Gordon
ON Gibbs-White, Gomes, Eze
Two debuts for England; Gomes and Gibbs-White. Plenty of boos for Grealish as he goes off but he will not care with a goal to his name.
O’Brien goes in with a heavy challenge on Gordon and is shown a yellow card. Correct decision. The referee also goes back to give Colwill a booking for a foul before that one.
Double change from the Republic of Ireland:
OFF Smallbone, Idah
ON Browne, McAteer
How will this man be judging the first 70 minutes of his interim tenure?
Republic of Ireland have a free-kick inside the England half but then the visitors counter through Gordon. He has Alexander-Arnold free on the right but instead opts to try and beat Knight, who does well to win the ball off Gordon.
England win it high up the pitch and it ends up with a Gordon shot from the left-hand side of the box, which Kelleher saves. Saka should have released the ball earlier than he did as Gordon and Grealish were in ample space on the left-hand side.
Brady is the latest player booked after a cute piece of skill from Saka on the right beats the Irishman, which forces Brady into committing the foul.
Grealish is fouled on the left-hand side by Molumby, one of a number of scraps between the two. Grealish wants a yellow for Molumby and the referee agrees.
England are lucky there as they gift away possession deep in their own half but the hosts fail to punish them.
Molumby has an effort from the edge of the England box after a lay-off from Szomodics but he cannot keep the strike down. It has given a small amount of encouragement to the home fans.
Close for the home side, probably their best chance of the game. Ogbene cuts it back from the right-hand side and finds Szomodics, whose shot goes just wide of Pickford’s left post.
A warning sign for England ⛔️Good football from Ireland but Sammie Szmodics puts his shot wide 😫#IREENG pic.twitter.com/QRx7TaOLN5
Coleman is back up on his feet but is not looking entirely comfortable. He is going to be replaced as part of a double home change:
OFF Coleman, Doherty
ON O’Brien, Knight
Alexander-Arnold, who has been excellent tonight, finds Saka in the right-hand channel in a similar fashion to the way he did for Liverpool on the opening weekend against Ipswich when finding Mohamed Salah, who set up Diogo Jota’s goal. Saka’s cross is deflected behind for a corner, which is cleared away by the hosts.
Play is then stopped as Coleman’s boot is off after Maguire stepped on his foot going up for a header.
There are some audible groans inside the Aviva Stadium and when there are not any groans, it is pretty quiet. That gives a fairly good indication as to how much England are in control of this match.
Alexander-Arnold finds Maguire at the back post, but the home side manage to clear the ball away.
Smallbone fouls Alexander-Arnold in a central position, which gives England the chance to whip the ball into the box. How Smallbone has not been booked I am not too sure.
England start this second half where they left off from the first. They play out from deep and initially work it down the right through Rice. He sends it centrally to Grealish, who then finds Gordon. He wins a corner off Doherty. Alexander-Arnold sends a delivery towards the far post, where Maguire and Ogbene are grappling. No penalty given but I am not sure that how Ogbene has got away with that.
We are back under way in Dublin.
The #ThreeLions are wearing black armbands in memory of the late Sven-Göran Eriksson.A full tribute to Sven will be paid on Tuesday night at @wembleystadium when England play Finland. pic.twitter.com/evufGr7HAU
“I have really liked what I have seen from England so far. The first thought of every player was to play forward, at all times. If there was a turnover in possession, play forward, they looked to attack and press.
“The other impressive thing was that when England did lose the ball they hunted it down immediately. Within two or three passes they had won the ball back. ‘A really impressive start for Lee Carsley.”
“It’s been very impressive from England. I thought Ireland would have been tighter to them but England have been passing the ball with pace, passing between the lines.
“Anthony Gordon has been willing to run in behind which is something England haven’t had for a while, and then they flood the box.”
If you are an England fan, that was a pretty enjoyable half of football. Carsley probably could not have hoped for a better first half in interim charge. Not so much if you are in the Republic of Ireland camp. Remember you can have your say in the comments section, like plenty of you are already doing.
There is the whistle and both Lee Carsley and the England fans will be pretty delighted with that first-half showing.
So far, so good in Dublin! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 pic.twitter.com/AhCo2bnSgb
One added minute at the end of this first half.
Ogbene should do better with his end product there. He charges down the left and gets past Mainoo to set up a crossing chance. He has teammates at the back post but his cross is far too heavy.
Szmodics then goes into the book for a foul on Gordon.
England counter from near the edge of their own box. Grealiish drives forward and eventually plays it into the path of Kane in the left-hand channel of the box. He goes onto his left foot and his strike is deflected behind by Coleman for a corner, which Alexander-Arnold will take. He fizzes it in and the hosts do well to clear it away.
“This is far more like the Aston Villa version of Jack Grealish – playing far more centrally, licence to drop deeper to pick up the ball, barely any defensive responsibility. He looks like he’s loving it.”
Saka sends in a cross from the right with his preferred left foot and nearly picks out Kane, but Kelleher manages to punch it away.
Alexander-Arnold sends another dangerous ball in behind the hosts’ defence towards Rice, which forces O’Shea to head behind for an England corner. Saka sends in an inswinger but it is headed away.
Best way of silencing the boos!
Kane goes down wanting a penalty. Grealish plays it forward to the England captain inside the penalty area, who goes down but the referee waves those appeals away. 
Ogbene sends in a cross from the right and finds the head of Celtic striker Idah in the centre of the box, but his effort does not trouble Pickford’s goal.
Grealish (26’)
Safe to say the home crowd are quiet now. That is a fantastic goal from England. Rice initially plays a one-two with Mainoo, then with Saka to play him into the box. He cuts it back to Grealish, who cooly slots home into the far corner. Terrific football from Lee Carsley’s side. How many times did we see a goal like that under Gareth Southgate? I wonder if the Ireland fans will continue to boo Rice and Grealish, considering between the two of them now they have two goals and an assist.
You couldn’t write this…Declan Rice finds Jack Grealish who scores for England against the Republic of Ireland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇮🇪#IREvENG pic.twitter.com/6nRvwuxMfX
England are dominating this match, with more than 80% of the possession so far. Six shots as well, with three on target.
Was Declan Rice right not to celebrate his goal? You can have your say in the comments section.
Brady’s free-kick hits the wall and England then counter. Rice drives forward and plays it onto Gordon on the left-hand side of the box. Gordon lays it across to Kane, whose shot is brilliantly saved by Kelleher, who has already made a couple of great saves in this match.
Mainoo is booked and the hosts have a free-kick in a central area just outside the England box…
Rice (11’)
England are ahead and it is the former Republic of Ireland midfielder Rice who gives them the lead. Initially Gordon should have put England into the lead after an outrageous through ball from Alexander-Arnold. Gordon’s effort was saved well by Kelleher. Kane then has a shot blocked before Rice curls it into the top corner. Despite being booed constantly, Rice refuses to celebrate. That Alexander-Arnold pass to Gordon in the build-up was utterly sensational.
On his return to the Aviva Stadium, Declan Rice fires @England ahead with a thumping strike 💥Watch #IREvENG on @ITV pic.twitter.com/yoBbQiDITC
Chance for the home side. England lose in their own half and Ireland counter. The ball is sent out to the left, where Szomodics cuts in and shoots. Pickford makes the save.
It is pretty easy to know when either Grealish or Rice are on the ball. The Irish fans are certainly letting them know what they think.
Kane should do better. Alexander-Arnold sends in a wicked first-time ball from the right, onto the head of Kane, who cannot keep his header down and it goes just over Kelleher’s bar. That was a sensational cross that should probably have been rewarded as an assist, had Kane buried that chance.
Lee Carsley has started with Colwill at left-back, with no out-and-out left-back in this squad. For much of Euro 2024, with Luke Shaw injured, Kieran Trippier, who has now retired from international football. was selected by Gareth Southgate in that position.
The home side will have the first corner of the match but before it there is a scuffle between Grealish and Molumby, which will stoke the home crowd even more.
Brady sends in an inswinger, which comes all the way to Molumby at the back post. He has a free header and should hit the target but his effort goes well over the bar.
An early chance for Ireland but Jayson Molumby can’t find the target 😫Watch #IREvENG live on @ITV pic.twitter.com/e2po7Tnirg
We are under way in Dublin.
Republic of Ireland: Kelleher, Coleman, O’Shea, Collins, Doherty, Smallbone, Molumby, Ogbene, Szmodics, Brady, Idah.
Substitutes: Travers, O’Leary, O’Dowda, Omabamidele, Browne, Ferguson, O’Brien, McAteer, Scales, Knight, Robinson, Parrott. 
England: Pickford, Alexander-Arnold, Maguire, Guehi, Colwill, Mainoo, Rice, Gordon, Grealish, Saka, Kane.
Substitutes: Lewis, Stones, Gallagher, Livramento, Henderson, Konsa, Gibbs-White, Gomes, Bowen, Eze, Pope, Madueke.
As he said he would not, Lee Carsley does not sing ‘God Save The King’.
Both sides have emerged from the tunnel at the Aviva Stadium and it is time for the national anthems. There are not many times where the singing of the anthems has caused such a stir.
The cameras are likely to be directed at Lee Carsley more than the England players.
Before the anthems the President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins is being introduced to the players.
“There was also someone on the pitch in full kit trying to join the England line of players. He has been escorted off. Now the Irish president greeting the teams very slowly.”
You could not write it. Amid the furore surrounding the national anthem, Lee Carsley has just gone to the wrong dugout!
❗️🚨 Manager in the wrong dugout alert! 🚨❗️ pic.twitter.com/5qAEH8dYaS
“The players have been really receptive – it’s been an enjoyable week with them. The build-up to the game has been magnificent for me, doing it for the first time, seeing everyone show up in green and cheering the players. 
“There’s a unity in this squad – we can build a really strong unit from these players. It will always be collective for a nation like Ireland if we want to do good things.”
“If you wonder why reactions to Lee Carsley’s refusal to sing God Save The King are so visceral, it is worth studying the advert that the Football Association put out for his job. “The successful candidate,” it specified, casting the net for Gareth Southgate’s successor far and wide, “will understand and embrace the role that the England men’s senior team head coach has inspiring the nation.” Anybody who comprehends the workings of the country surely realises that this goal is seldom best achieved by declaring, before a ball has even been kicked, that you will not join in with the national anthem.
“The problem, fundamentally, is one of perception. Yes, Carsley is taking an authentic position, staying true to his record of never reciting an anthem either during his three years in charge of England Under-21s or his 40 games playing for the Republic of Ireland. And yes, he has carefully worded his explanation, insisting that his stance does not convey disrespect. But the spectacle of an England manager standing mute on the touchline, during what should be his team’s most galvanising pre-match ritual, makes him look – however unfairly – less than fully invested in the cause.”
To read more from our chief sports writer Oliver Brown, click here.
One night all England fans will want to get out of their heads is that defeat to Iceland at Euro 2016. Who was in charge of Iceland that night? Heimir Hallgrímsson.
Tonight is Lee Carsley’s first chance on the field to convince the hierarchy at the FA that he is the right man to succeed Gareth Southgate, who initially had the England job on a temporary basis like Carsley does after Sam Allardyce’s swift departure.
Is England’s next manager already in position? Anthony Gordon certainly backs Lee Carsley to take on the role 💪#ITVFootball | @gabrielclarke05 pic.twitter.com/7CplVu4KFD
Arrived at Aviva Stadium 📍 pic.twitter.com/NArsZMwg7b
Roy Keane: 
“It’s a welcome to reality of coaching England.  It is unfair but that is the industry we are in. The priority is trying to win football matches and hopefully that takes care of everything else. 
Ian Wright: 
“I feel for him because it is one of the biggest opportunities of his life. For me it is a storm in a teacup. Nobody spoke about the anthem when he won the Euro’s with the Under-21s.” 
“Today’s an immensely proud position for myself and my family. I’m really looking forward to it, I’ve got so much respect for both national anthems, it’s a real proud moment I’m really looking forward to.
“Everyone’s entitled to their opinion, making my debut as a player in 1996 I was totally focused on the game and found it difficult to get used to the delay [of the anthem]. That hasn’t changed while I’ve been a coach, it’ll be the case today.”
Republic of Ireland have a new manager in the shape of Heimir Hallgrímsson and there are plenty of Premier League players in their starting XI. Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher, Everton defender Seamus Coleman, Brentford defender Nathan Collins and Brighton striker Sammie Szmodics are amongst those Premier League players in the starting XI for Hallgrímsson’s side.
Republic of Ireland: Kelleher, Coleman, O’Shea, Collins, Doherty, Smallbone, Molumby, Ogbene, Szmodics, Brady, Idah.
Substitutes: Travers, O’Leary, O’Dowda, Omabamidele, Browne, Ferguson, O’Brien, McAteer, Scales, Knight, Robinson, Parrott. 
There are five changes to the England starting line-up from the defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Levi Colwill, Anthony Gordon, Harry Maguire and Grealish come into the starting XI. Colwill, Maguire and Grealish were not in the Euros squad.
England: Pickford, Alexander-Arnold, Maguire, Guehi, Colwill, Mainoo, Rice, Gordon, Grealish, Saka, Kane.
Substitutes: Lewis, Stones, Gallagher, Livramento, Henderson, Konsa, Gibbs-White, Gomes, Bowen, Eze, Pope, Madueke.
Declan Rice starts in England’s midfield this evening, but he did play for the Republic of Ireland age groups and played in a few friendlies for them. Jack Grealish, who also starts for England having been left out of the Euros squad, also represented Ireland at age-group level. In a parallel universe Rice and Grealish could have been in the Republic of Ireland starting XI today.
Kate Rowan has called on the Ireland fans not to boo Rice or Grealish.
Your #ThreeLions in Dublin! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/uZOhJuEbPv
Arrived 🫡🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/7zhu5AmyfH
STARTING XI | Ireland v England Jayson Molumby makes his first international start since November 2023 whilst Chiedozie Ogbene returns to the starting line-up after his injury 👌Kick-off is at 5pm, not long to wait now! 🇮🇪💚 pic.twitter.com/HfZdrw0AZ3
“Lee Carsley has stumbled at the first, and somewhat unexpected, hurdle as England’s proposed new manager.
“By suggesting he will not sing the national anthem ahead of his inaugural match in charge as Gareth Southgate’s would-be successor Carsley has proved to be naïve.
“The interim surely cannot expect to manage England if he does not sing the anthem? Sometimes you just have to do things out of respect and in recognition of the position you are in. Carsley is failing to do that.
Read more from our chief football correspondent Jason Burt.
England beat the Republic of Ireland 3-0 in a friendly in November 2020. The England starting line-up that night; Pope, Keane, Maguire, Mings, James, Mount, Winks, Saka, Sancho, Calvert-Lewin, Grealish. Jude Bellingham made his England debut that night. Bellingham, who misses this international break due to injury, is one of a number of current England players who do qualify to play for the Republic of Ireland.
A flashback to the last time @England faced the Republic Of Ireland ⏮️A certain @BellinghamJude made his #ThreeLions debut that day 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿👏#ITVFootball pic.twitter.com/agfCqWwiJP
“This is something that I always struggled with when I was playing for Ireland. The gap between your warm-up, your coming on to the pitch and the delay with the anthems. So it’s something that I have never done.
“I was always really focused on the game and my first actions of the game. I really found that in that period I was wary about my mind wandering off. I was really focused on the football and I have taken that into coaching.
“We had the national anthem with the Under-21s also and I am in a zone at that point. I am thinking about how the opposition are going to set up and our first actions within the game. I fully respect both anthems and understand how much they mean to both countries. It’s something I am really respectful of.”
Asked to confirm if he ever sings the anthem, Carsley added: “No (I don’t).
Matt Law has the full story.
By Chris Mills
Hello and welcome to the Aviva Stadium in Dublin where a new Nations League campaign kicks off for Ireland and England. It is a first outing for Lee Carsley since he was appointed as interim head coach of the Three Lions, will he use the chance to impress and claim the job on a full-time basis?
Carsley has cast aside talk on his future and is focused on results: “For me that’s not really important, the mistakes I’ve made in the past when I’ve been here in these kind of positions is that I’ve spent that much time telling people that I don’t want the job, and I actually forget to do the job.
“For me the most important thing is the camp, the games, the priority is to get out of Nations League B and just doing a good job.”
Carsley spoke in his press conference about the emotions heading into this evening’s game.
“Proud. It’s not something that I thought that much about until recently. I think when I saw the draw I obviously was fully focused on the U21s, and I thought that ‘that’s going to be a good game’.
“I didn’t realise obviously until two weeks ago that I was actually going to be here, so I am excited by it. It’s not something I’m overawed by. I’m excited with the challenge. I’ve got a lot of confidence in the players. I think they’ll enjoy the atmosphere.
“It’s a good game for them to come back to off the back of a big disappointment, so hopefully we can perform.”
There is a fresh feel around the England camp with the call-ups of Noni Madueke, Angel Gomes, Morgan Gibbs-White and Tino Livramento and the dropouts of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Ollie Watkins. Kieran Trippier announced his international retirement prior to the squad announcement and Kyle Walker has not been called up.
It will be a first match in charge for new Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson – who joint-coach of the Iceland side which knocked Roy Hodgson’s England out of Euro 2016 – and he is expecting it to be a lively dugout debut.
“First and foremost I am really excited to feel the atmosphere, everybody is talking about how good it is and I know it is going to be massive against England. I’m just looking forward to that and working with the players in game for the first time, seeing what we’ve been trying to do on the training pitch as well, and try and transfer into the match.”
Team news to follow shortly.