Lee Carsley talks FAI, the Ireland approach and his Cork family tree

Carsley spoke to the FAI after the European U21 Championships

England interim manager Lee Carsley during the squad announcement at St George's Park, Burton upon Trent. Picture date: Wednesday August 28, 2024.

Lee Carsley says he was never offered the job of managing the Republic of Ireland.

The interim England manager will face the country he played for at Aviva Stadium next week.

Having long been linked with the Ireland position before Heimir Hallgrímsson was finally appointed, Carsley says he was never actually offered the job.

He did meet the FAI after guiding England to European U21 success in 2023.

Carsley said, on England press duty this week: “First of all it was quite an informal conversation. 

"It wasn’t that I was offered the job or wanted the job or turned the job down or anything like that.

“It was far from that. It was quite an informal conversation.

"It was after the Under-21 Euros and so it was at a point where similar to anyone who wants a meeting or a catch-up I try to be as accommodating as I can.

“At the start of my career, someone’s advice was that if someone wants to meet you, make sure you go and meet them and pay them that respect.

“So I was really aware going into the conversation that I’ve got a really good job and I’m supported where I am.

“So it went no further and it was literally quite an informal conversation. A quick coffee and that was it.”

The upcoming camp will be Carsley's second trip to Ireland this year, after he visited Dunmanway in Cork in the summer, from where his grandmother comes.

“It was before the Euros. It was a reunion in Cork that was planned. My family have been really supportive.

"They are proud - as proud as they were when I played for Ireland and when England’s Under-21s win the Euros. Going back there in the summer was brilliant.

"One of the family did a PowerPoint presentation of the family tree, showing how we all got to this point.

“It was massively interesting. We seem to have a family of people who have fought their way to get where they are, so it was inspiring.”

Carsley has resisted some calls to omit England captain Harry Kane from his plans and backed the Bayern Munich forward to recapture his best form after a lacklustre Euros.

“It is really easy to be reactive in a certain period. People do have poor games, people do lack form sometimes. I am not saying he is in that category at all, but there is such an expectancy and weight on him to score the goals and be the leader. I don’t see that being any different.

“Watching the games he’s played in and the condition he has come back in, he looks like he is in good form and looks really fit. So, that is what I have got to judge on. What happened in the summer, in form or out of form, good tournament or bad tournament, it is gone now. It is about what we do moving forward.”