Lee Carsley says he is keen to return to England Under-21s after a miserable 2-1 defeat by Greece at Wembley Stadium on Thursday.
The caretaker boss had enjoyed a fruitful start as Gareth Southgate’s successor, recording wins over Finland and the Republic of Ireland in September before returning to the field for a long night against Greece.
Vangelis Pavlidis opened the scoring in the 49th minute after having an earlier effort disallowed and the Benfica striker scored a second in the dying moments of the game to secure victory for his side after a late finish. Jude Bellingham the draw gave England a lifeline.
Speaking after the defeat, Carsley remained adamant his efforts at senior level would not affect his standing at youth level, admitting he was “hopeful” about returning to his previous role.
“My mission has been clear from the beginning,” he told reporters. “I am doing three camps, there are three days left and then, hopefully, I will return to the U-21s.
“This (loss) has no impact (on my future). I said at the beginning that I wouldn’t rule myself out or rule myself out and that remains the case. I’m more than comfortable in the position I’m in. The mandate was clear , I am comfortable and confident with it.
“After the first camp I definitely didn’t get excited or believe it too much. I know this job is one of the best in the world because you really have a chance to win in a major competition and that’s still the case.”
Carsley was asked to explain his decision behind changing England’s tactics, opting to play Bellingham and Phil Foden together like fake nuts.
“We tried something different with the formation and the areas of the ground we tried to go into,” he continued. “We never gave ourselves a chance to see if it was the right decision or the wrong (one). Looking at the result and the way the game went, it was a tough night for us.
“With the players we have, we have to be brave at times with our systems and be creative. I could have easily gone with a recognized number nine, we had two on the bench, but I thought it was important to try something different.
“I never once thought I broke it. It was a case of trying something different. I’m happy to take the blame for it. It was entirely my idea.”
England will return to action on Sunday when they face Finland to round off their October internationals.
