Well, that escalated quickly. It took just seven minutes for Ollie Watkins to score England’s opening goal against Greece on Thursday night, causing those who had criticized Lee Carsley for selecting a prolific goalscorer in a relatively unimportant game to reconsider their pre-match criticisms. The Watkins turnaround, which we should really call a volte-farce given the absurdity of the more extreme critics, symbolized another peculiar night in Carsley’s interim reign. He’ll be remembered as England’s BFG: their Bald Fraud/Genius, with the noun changing depending on the last 60 seconds and your current perspective. The bald part is non-negotiable.
Carsley’s brief tenure has been marked by controversy, yet there’s a strong case that it has been a success. Football management is about balancing the present and the future, and Carsley, despite a few hiccups, has managed this balance like a seasoned performer. England will secure their Nations League group if they don’t falter against Ireland on Sunday; by giving young players a chance, Carsley has provided Thomas Tuchel with valuable insights that only real-life matches can offer.
Carsley gave the football intelligentsia what they wanted against Greece, fielding a team of No 10s, and they lost. On Thursday, he demonstrated that England can function without Harry Kane and that Watkins is a top-tier striker. He has also handed out multiple debuts, mostly to players who look at home in an England shirt. There are countless rational England fans, but they are drowned out by the digital noise created by the media.
Carsley’s inner thoughts after Watkins’ goal might have been a mix of relief and joy, but the moment that truly delighted him was debutant Curtis Jones’s late flick. Jones scored the winning goal for Carsley’s U21 team against Spain in last year’s European Championship final. After the Greece game, Carsley embraced Jones with genuine pride, his smile unfeigned. For a brief moment, he was free from the pressures of the past months.
Soon, Carsley will return to coaching young players, away from the chaotic environment of the England team. Join Scott Murray for live coverage of Scotland vs Croatia starting at 7.45pm GMT.
“It’s been intense. They adjusted the queue forcefully, pushing the crowd against the fence. They treat us like animals, then play the victim if there’s any pushback” – England fan Jack Loftus on his experience in Athens.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
