The interim boss made quite the impression in the build-up to his first game in charge against Ireland

Lee Carsley dialled up the humility following his first game in interim charge of England on Saturday. Any notion that the Three Lions' swaggering victory over Ireland represented the dawning of a bold new era of 'Cars-ball' was emphatically rebuffed by the man himself. Instead, the 50-year-old swiftly awarded the players all of the responsibility for the team's perfect start to their Nations League campaign.

“Definitely not,” Carsley said. “It’s definitely not my style. It’s the players that are capable of receiving the ball in tight areas and playing through. I’m just lucky I’m coaching them. I don’t see this as my style. They should take all the credit for the way they’ve been.”

It was good management. All the best modern coaches use press conferences to make their players feel twice as tall. However, Carsley deserves a sizeable helping of the praise afforded to England following the victory in Dublin.

At the Aviva Stadium, the Three Lions did things they simply hadn't towards the tail end of Gareth Southgate's reign. The team created seven 'big chances', more than any game in the Euros, and every player was fielded in their strongest role.

Trent Alexander-Arnold's playmaking abilities from right-back breathed new life into midfield; Declan Rice made the most of his license to burst forward by scoring and assisting; while Anthony Gordon's addition to the front line decongested that much-maligned left-hand side. The entire occasion was a strong response to anyone predicting that Carsley's ascension to the top job would be business as usual for England.

Getty Images SportNot an FA 'yes man'

Indeed, when Carsley was confirmed as interim boss in August, the most extreme dissenting voices suggested he was simply a Southgate clone. Another FA 'yes man', not worthy of directing one of the nation's most talented generation of players.

This was, in truth, a minority view. But more widely, Carsley was seen as the safest choice imaginable. Probably fairly too. Graduating from the Under-21 side to the seniors is a path that Southgate trod to great success in recent memory. The short-term nature of his contract, which offers both parties the chance to move on quickly if it doesn't work out, added to the sense that his appointment was made with stability in mind.

There's nothing intrinsically wrong with attempting to keep things on an even keel – England did just reach a European Championship final after all – though it did mean that fireworks were hardly expected ahead of Nations League competition getting back underway.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportRocking the boat

Despite these conceptions, Carsley's first proper week in charge has suggested that his reign will be anything but boring – regardless of how long it turns out to be. His very first squad selection was full of fresh ideas.

Angel Gomes, long overlooked despite impressing for Lille, was handed his first-ever call up, while Morgan Gibbs-White was also recognised for his Nottingham Forest displays over the past 12 months or so. Tino Livramento, Rico Lewis and Noni Madueke were among those selected too, with Levi Colwill similarly given a chance after missing out on the Euros squad. And then there was Jack Grealish, welcomed back in from the cold after what he described as the "worst summer" of his life.

The reasons for Carsley making these calls varied. But a common theme throughout was a willingness to take bold decisions, even if the absences of several historically key players, such as Jude Bellingham and Luke Shaw, made it easier to justify some of the choices he made.

Getty Images SportLeaving out key names

Carsley's willingness to rock the boat was also reflected in the players he opted to leave out. The timing of Kieran Trippier's international retirement seemed to suggest that the Newcastle star would not have been selected for these Nations League games anyway. Previously one of Southgate's most trusted lieutenants, this was a bolder call than it might seem at first glance.

And after all of the clamour for him to start over the summer, Carsley also sent Adam Wharton down to the U21s, while fellow Euros squad members Ivan Toney, Aaron Ramsdale and Joe Gomez all paid the price for their lack of minutes at club level.

By far and away the most noteworthy snub was Kyle Walker. A near ever-present for England in the Southgate era, even after a slow start to the Premier League campaign, the prospect of him being overlooked seemed extremely remote before Carsley made the call. Walker wasn't happy about the snub either, voicing his frustrations on his podcast, but did accept that the decision might have been the correct one.

"I’m disappointed," Walker acknowledged. "You have to accept it and just try to prove them wrong. With a new manager, you are always expecting a few changes. I'm disappointed because to represent your country is always the highest thing. But I haven't played any minutes this season so you have to take it on the chin. I've not performed at any level since coming back from the (Euro), so I think it's the right call from him."

AFPHandling the Greenwood situation

Carsley has handled the media in similarly forthright fashion. As well as explaining his selection decisions in straightforward terms, he has also navigated more thorny issues with refreshing candour.

Ahead of the Ireland game, he was asked about Mason Greenwood's international future. Greenwood has not played for England since 2020 and was charged with rape, assault and coercive and controlling behaviour in 2022. Those charges were dropped last year, but the social media posts that led to him being arrested – and turned the stomach of anyone who saw them – resulted in Manchester United letting the forward leave, first on loan to Getafe and then permanently this summer to Marseille.

He has scored five goals in his first three Ligue 1 games this season, but Carsley made it abundantly clear that there was no Three Lions future for the attacker. "Mason wasn't a player that we can consider to be honest, no. I'm aware of how he's doing but he wasn't under consideration," he said.

In these comments, there was no attempt to muddy the issues linked with Greenwood's potential return. The topic was instead decisively put to bed, with the 22-year-old expected to switch allegiances to Jamaica in the near future. It could not contrast more starkly with the clumsy way United, Getafe and Marseille have dealt with the Greenwood problem over the past few years.