Carsley does not pretend to be someone he is not either. He is genuine and honest, with excellent man management skills, traits similar to Southgate who he worked so closely with, having joined his staff for Euro 2024.
He brings the balls out for the warm-ups, not a usual responsibility for the head coach, but a small statement of his ways.
Noticeably, the players often use his nickname ‘Cars’ when talking about the head coach. Not ‘the manager’ or the ‘gaffer’ in a sign of his close relationship with them, which has allowed them to develop and shine in the knockout stages in Slovakia.
“He’s created a group but it’s not just Lee. It’s the whole whole staff group – it runs from the physios to the assistants, starts with Lee, runs all the way down,” said defender Charlie Cresswell.
“It feeds off to us players. We’ve got such a good group in there, the togetherness that we have as a squad it’s inspirational.”
Captain James McAtee has spoken about Carsley’s “belief and trust” while Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott, who scored in the group stage defeat to Germany agreed.
Scott gives credit to Carsley’s methods as a man and manager to perfectly encapsulate his personality.
“It’s something that started with Gareth and what he brought into the England set-up, and Lee has done the same thing. The relationship we have as a team and the things we do off the pitch ultimately come together on it.
“Cars is massive for the group and makes everyone feel welcome and wanted as players. To have that relationship with your coach on and off the pitch is so important if we want to be successful.
“Winning the tournament two years ago and taking the seniors for those games, Cars has shown how good a man and coach he is.”
It will still matter regardless of the outcome in Slovakia but winning would create Carsley’s legacy and the former Coventry and Everton midfielder is eyeing a dynasty.
“Our record at this tournament, it’s fair to say, isn’t great. From not qualifying for the tournament or getting knocked out in the group stages,” he said.
“Obviously Dave Sexton started off great and you’d like to see a period of domination but we didn’t do that.
“Spain have done it, Italy have done it, Germany have done it, the Netherlands have done it. We have to make sure we’re there.”
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