Lee Carsley set to be appointed England Under-21 manager

Lee Carsley looks likely to succeed Aidy Boothroyd as the England Under-21 manager after the Football Association identified the former Republic of Ireland midfielder as their preferred candidate.

Carsley, who made more than 150 appearances for Everton and also played for Derby, Blackburn, Coventry and Birmingham, is currently England’s Under-20 coach having also previously served as an assistant under Boothroyd at various youth levels including the Under-21s.

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It is understood that the FA interviewed several candidates for the post including the former England defender Sol Campbell, with the Swansea manager, Steve Cooper, – who led an Under-17 side that featured Phil Foden to World Cup glory in 2017 – also considered. But with Carsley having worked in several roles at St George’s Park since 2015 having moved there permanently from Manchester City’s Academy in 2017, he was seen as the outstanding candidate to replace Boothroyd after the disappointment of again failing to qualify from their group at the European Championship finals in March.

That was the second successive tournament in which England had failed to live up to their billing as one of the favourites, having also crashed out in the group stages in 2019 after the run to the semi-finals two years earlier under Boothroyd.

Carsley was born in Birmingham and came through Derby’s youth team before going to represent Ireland after qualifying through his grandmother. He has served as caretaker manager at Coventry, Brentford and Birmingham and is expected to be handed a two-year contract by the FA.