The English view: Carsley lets players make all the right noises in smooth audition

Anthem storm before serene opening Nations League victory over the Republic of Ireland was silly but avoidable for interim manager

PDA FOR TAA: England interim manager Lee Carsley, right, with Trent Alexander-Arnold of England after the UEFA Nations League B Group 2 match between Republic of Ireland and England at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

At precisely 4.59pm in Dublin, an act of great treachery took place. Nobody will forget where they were on the day when Lee Carsley from Birmingham stood and decided not to sing a song moments before leading England to an easy 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland in their 2024 Nations League opener.

Has a victory ever tasted so bitter? Has the imagination of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s passing, the audacity of Jack Grealish’s dribbling and the general sense of an England team treating the ball like an old friend ever felt so irrelevant when placed next to the Shame of Carsley?