England U21s boss Lee Carsley is in line to take charge of the England men's senior team for next month's Nations League matches, as the FA continues its process to appoint a long-term successor to Gareth Southgate.
Southgate resigned two days after England lost the European Championship final against Spain, and the next England squad to face Republic of Ireland and Finland is due to be named on August 29.
With that timescale, it is thought the FA is minded to give England U21s manager Carsley the senior role on a short-term basis, as it carries out an exhaustive period of due diligence on a host of possible candidates.
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The FA has declined to comment, and will not do so until it has confirmed the new boss.
But in a statement released last month, chief executive Mark Bullingham said: "Our UEFA Nations League campaign starts in September, and we have an interim solution in place if it is needed." That was a clear indication that Carsley was primed and ready to step up to take charge of the senior team if needed.
Sky Sports News has been told the FA has yet to speak formally to many of the candidates on its shortlist. It is clear the governing body will take its time to make the right appointment.
Eddie Howe, Graham Potter, Mauricio Pochettino and Kieran McKenna remain on the list of possible candidates - alongside Carsley - and while the next England manager does not have to be English, it is thought Bullingham would prefer a homegrown option.
Carsley won 40 caps with the Republic of Ireland as a player, and has been an English FA employee for the past four years, working with both the U20s and U21s.
It is not clear whether or not Carsley wants the job long term, but if he is placed in an interim role it could be seen as the perfect audition for both him and the FA. Southgate followed the same path to the top job after he was promoted from the U21s in 2016, and given four games in interim charge before being handed a four-year contract as the new England manager.
Applications closed for England managerial vacancy
Applications closed for the England men's managerial vacancy on August 2 after the FA advertised the role on its website.
English football's governing body said it had "already identified a number of candidates" after Southgate announced his resignation from the role on July 16.
The first bullet point in the job description specifies the need to "win a major tournament". England's men's team have not won a major trophy since the 1966 World Cup.
It also said the successful candidate will "have significant experience of English football, with a strong track record delivering results in the Premier League and/or leading international competitions".
Other job requirements included being "experienced in successfully identifying, managing and developing English qualified players" and being "highly resilient and comfortable in a very high-profile role with intense public scrutiny".
Click on this link to read the full job description for the England men's manager role.
England's upcoming fixtures (all Nations League)
- September 7: vs Republic of Ireland (a)
- September 10: vs Finland (h)
- October 10: vs Greece (h)
- October 13: vs Finland (a)
- November 14: vs Greece (a)
- November 17: vs Republic of Ireland (h)