Lee Carsely picks squad for England’s last two matches of 2024
In the meantime, interim coach, Lee Carsley will be responsible for picking the England team for the last two matches of 2024, Greece in Athens on Thursday November 14 and Republic of Ireland at Wembley on Sunday November 17.
None of the matches Carsley has been in charge of have been particularly spectacular and the fact that England lost to Greece at Wembley in October has meant that despite being in a fairly poor group in the Nations League, they have to win both matches to hope to gain promotion.
Tuchel reportedly has had no discussions with Carsley about the squad
What seems a little strange is that Tuchel has reportedly had no discussions with Carsley over selection and is unlikely to even attend either match.
Carsley will be returning to manage the England Under 21 team but not before he gives some of his favourite young players a chance of obtaining their first ever full England cap.
A number of Under 21 squad have been called up of won their first England cap
This latest squad sees the call-up of Southampton (currently languishing at the bottom of the Premier League) defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Newcastle’s Lewis Hall (doing slightly better at number 12).
Since he took over as interim manager, he has given first caps to under 21 players Angel Gomes, Noni Madueke and Morgan Gibbs-White and there is a chance that having recovered from injury, Curtis Jones may also win his first cap.
There are certainly a number of recognised players who are injured and would normally be automatic choices for the England squad but it does seem that Carsley may be using his role to reinforce his position with members of the Under 21 squad when he returns to take them over again.
Tuchel can inherit a triumphant squad or simply rebuild if next two matches are losses
Time will tell whether this was a good of piece of management or something of a damp squib, but regardless of results, Tuchel can either take over a match winning squad or reconstruct the squad if they lose either or both of the November matches.