Lee Carsley has a legitimate chance to be England's next manager but faces THREE major issues for his audition, writes SAMI MOKBEL

Life after Gareth Southgate begins for England next week when interim boss Lee Carsley selects his squad for the UEFA Nations League games against Ireland and Finland.

The matches are a chance for Carsley to stake a claim to be Southgate’s permanent successor. 

Promoted from his role as Under 21s boss, he is determined to give the FA no choice but to hand him the reins for the 2026 World Cup.

Carsley, who is also likely to take charge of the October games against Greece and Finland, is expected do things ‘his way’ in the hope of making the top job his own. 

Here, Mail Sport examines three issues Carsley faces ahead of his audition. 

Forward thinking

Barring a major shock, Harry Kane will continue to lead the line for the national side for the foreseeable future.

Any suggestion that Kane, 31, is past his sell by date are premature. He wasn’t at his best at Euro 2024, where his performances were hampered by a lower back injury that affected his mobility.

Ollie Watkins provided England with arguably their most euphoric moment of Euro 2024, with the last-gasp winner against the Netherlands that booked their place in the final.

The Aston Villa striker is expected to keep his place in the England squad.

Ivan Toney’s international future, however, is far less certain, as he considers a club transfer to Saudi Arabia. Any move to the Middle East would cause a problem for Toney in terms of being selected for England.

Put faith in youth?

There are, though, likely to be some changes from the squad that travelled to Germany this summer.

Carsley is big on progression, so he will consider a number of the players he has worked with at Under-21 level, including Curtis Jones. Carsley is a huge fan of the Liverpool midfielder and Jude Bellingham’s expected omission from the squad due to injury could open the door for Jones.

Manchester City’s 19-year-old defender, Rico Lewis, will hope to establish himself in Carsley’s plans, while Newcastle’s Tino Livramento is another favourite of the new England coach.

It will be interesting to see if goalkeeper James Trafford earns a place in the squad, despite playing in the Championship for Burnley. But don’t expect wholesale changes immediately. 

There is a realisation that Southgate assembled one of the strongest squads in world football and the foundations of a tournament-winning group of players is already in place.

Chelsea defender Levi Colwill is naturally left-footed, which gives him a unique selling point for England, while Anthony Gordon, who played just five minutes at Euro 2024, is also admired by the interim boss. 

Full backs in flux

It remains to be seen whether right backs Kieran Trippier, who is 33, and Kyle Walker, 34, will travel to North America with England in 2026.

There will be hope that Arsenal’s Ben White ends his international exile following the departure of Southgate and his assistant head coach Steve Holland.

It was understood that White would only return to the England fold once a new coaching team was in place, after his clash with Holland at the 2022 World Cup. Any recall next week will be one of the biggest talking points of Carsley’s first squad.

It will also be intriguing to see whether Carsley gives Trent Alexander-Arnold a chance to play at right back, following Southgate’s efforts to convert him into a midfielder.

There are significant issues at left back. Luke Shaw is injured again, Ben Chilwell is out of favour at Chelsea, while Tyrick Mitchell has dropped off the England radar over the past 18 months. The lack of natural left backs could cause Carsley a serious headache.