GARY LINEKER has offered his theory on Lee Carsley’s bizarre comments surrounding whether or not he wants the England job full-time.
The Match of the Day host also revealed details about the “rumours” he has been hearing about the next England manager.
The Three Lions interim boss raised eyebrows when he mentioned that he would “hopefully” return to his role as Under-21s manager on the back of England’s 2-1 defeat to Greece last week.
Following the 3-1 win over Finland on Sunday, Carsley urged the FA to appoint a “world-class” manager to replace Gareth Southgate, before adding that he hasn’t ruled himself out.
His words have left fans confused over whether he wants the role on a permanent basis, with just two games remaining of his initially-scheduled three-camp stint.
But Lineker has suggested on The Rest Is Football Podcast that Carsley is being “protective” and could already be aware of what his future holds.
Lineker said: “I wonder, I’ve heard rumours and stuff, whether he knows something about what’s happening in terms of they’re looking for a new manager.
“I think they’ve sounded out coaches.That’s what the rumours are, that’s what we’ve heard.
“And I wonder whether he thinks he’s not going to get it so therefore he is perhaps protecting himself and wants to get his other job back.
“I don’t know, because it seems a little bit defeatist. ‘They need a winning coach’, I mean, look at the two teams who have just won international tournaments.
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“Spain didn’t have a guy who had won trophies before, certainly not in league football, Lee Carlsey has won the European Championship with England’s U-21s.
“I wonder whether they have been sounding out people and he’s found out and he just doesn’t believe he is going to get the job.”
Co-hosts Micah Richards and Alan Shearer agreed that Carsley was “hard to read”, with the former Man City defender adding: “He’s playing poker”.
But Shearer later added: “Gary, if the FA were not speaking to and sounding out people then they’re not doing their job properly.
“Whether it’s Pep, Eddie Howe or Tuchel, they must be speaking to these people.
“And Gareth wasn’t a guy that had won trophies and he was in the job for eight years.”
Carsley has won three of his interim games in charge, picking up victories over Ireland and Finland twice.
But many thought he’d failed his England audition after his striker-less system saw England lose at Wembley to 48th ranked side Greece last Thursday.
Thomas Tuchel, Pep Guardiola and Howe remain the favourites to get the full-time gig but it is unclear if any discussions have taken place.
Lee Carsley simply doesn’t sound like an England manager
By Dave Kidd
After three months of uncertainty, it is now absolutely as clear as mud.
Does Lee Carsley want to be England’s permanent manager or not?
And why is he so reluctant to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to such a simple question?
Following a team selection which brought a welcome return to common sense — and an England victory which restored a certain amount of pride — came another chaotic round of post-match interviews in which Carsley contradicted himself several times.
And given that communication is such an important part of the England job, it does not help his cause when you feel as if you are disappearing down a rabbit hole every time you speak to Carsley.
He is a likeable man and a gifted coach — but he simply doesn’t sound like an England manager.
There simply isn’t enough authority or clarity about him.
At the age of 50, Carsley has never been the full-time manager of any senior football team and it shows.
That is irrespective of the tactical car crash of Thursday’s 2-1 home defeat by Greece.
