Former Birmingham City and Everton star ‘front-runner’ for major managerial job

Former Birmingham City midfielder Lee Carsley is under serious consideration for a national team job.

The Birmingham-born midfielder is currently the manager of the England under-21’s. He guided the young Three Lions to EURO glory having beaten Spain earlier this summer.

Carsley - English by birth, but a 40-time Ireland international is now under consideration for what could be the first major role of the 49-year-old’s coaching career.

A report from the Daily Mirror claims that Carsley is at the top of the Football Association of Ireland’s wish list, should they part with Stephen Kenny.

He is on a 12-month contract according to the report, and an official approach is to arrive 'imminently' amid uncertainty overm Kenny's future. It is reported that the current Ireland boss will not be offered a new contract which expires next year, and there is also discussions as to whether he will be sacked before the Bhoys in Green's EURO 2024 qualifying campaign is out.

Carsley is the front-runner for the role, though former Chelsea and Newcastle United winger Damien Duff is also an option, as well as Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna.

A separate report from The Independent claim the English FA will 'resist' any attempt from the FAI to poach away their under-21's manager. He could be considered a potential replacement for when Gareth Southgate decides when to depart his post.

Carsley had a 17-year playing career that began with Derby County and he spent five years as a Rams player. He later moved to Blackburn Rovers, and left after just one-year at Ewood Park, returning to the Midlands to join Coventry City. Carsley joined Everton when Walter Smith was in charge but became an important player when David Moyes arrived, and served them for six years.

In May 2008, he joined his hometown club Birmingham and was quickly appointed captain, and was part of the Blues side that won promotion to the Premier League in 2009, though his second campaign was impacted through injury and he later joined Coventry City, before retiring from professional football.

Carsley returned to Birmingham in 2017 as Blues' under-23's head coach having had similar roles at Coventry City, Brentford and Manchester City. He had a short second spell at St Andrews, but did oversee three first-team matches as caretaker manager before he departed the club when Steve Cotterill was sacked in March 2018.