Lee Carsley insists he is “qualified” to take over as England manager and says the role is no longer “an impossible task” in his view.
Following Gareth Southgate's resignation, Carsley was appointed caretaker manager for the third round of autumn internationals, but he has never formally indicated he would like to take over long-term.
He had a baptism of fire ahead of his first game in Dublin, with some newspapers claiming he should be sacked for refusing to sing the national anthem. Carsley pointed out that he had played 40 times for the Republic of Ireland but had never sung the anthem.
For a more accessible video player, please use the Chrome browser.
Rob Dorsett and Pete Smith analyse England's win over Finland and assess Carsley's first two games.
The media storm hasn't shaken him, and he says his confidence in front of the press has grown as the international break has progressed. Initially calling himself a “safe pair of hands”, Carsley now sounds more assertive about it.
“I'm going to get into it. I think I'm going to get into it,” he said. “I think I'm very grounded. The most important thing in this job for me is football and making sure the players are in a good environment to thrive.
“It's been a good week. I think I've been playing out in my head what would happen if all these things piled up like this.
“In terms of the way the players responded to some of the concepts we were trying to introduce, and the way the new players meshed with the established players, it couldn't have been better. It's been a positive camp overall.”
For a more accessible video player, please use the Chrome browser.
Carsley has backed Harry Kane to reach 100 goals after scoring twice against Finland.
Asked if the experience was eye-opening, he said: “No, it wasn't. I think I've been lucky enough to see it up close over the last few years with the U21s. I've seen some of the challenges that come with it. From a (press) conference standpoint, it's shown me what I can do, or what we can do as a team.”
Two 2-0 wins were a solid start to the season in terms of results, but what was most surprising was the change in style that Carsley and his staff brought to the senior men's team.
His will is more attacking than Southgate's, encouraging his players to take risks with the ball. And while that may mean Carsley's England concede more chances and goals than their predecessors, he expects his team to create more chances and score more goals themselves.
For a more accessible video player, please use the Chrome browser.
Former England manager Gareth Southgate says he is in no rush to find a new role and is open to opportunities both on and off the pitch.
“I think that's how I want my team to play. We're really lucky with the players that we have on the roster. We've got some really exciting players, and I think it's important to give them a platform to do what they do best.”
The term “impossible job” was coined in the 1980s and 90s, when the tabloids were clamoring for the likes of Terry Venables, Graham Taylor and Bobby Robson to take over as England football managers.
“I've never heard that before,” Carsley said. “I think it's a really good job. It's a job where you look at different opportunities and ask, 'Can I be in a position to win?' This job definitely fits that criteria. We have players who are not only competitive but can win major trophies.”
