Two new managerial reigns commence at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on Saturday evening, when Lee Carsley‘s England pit their wits against Heimir Hallgrimsson‘s Republic of Ireland in the UEFA Nations League.
The two near neighbours clash in League B Group 2, where Finland and Greece are also vying for promotion to the top tier of the continental competition.
Match preview
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Unable to get the senior men to follow in the footsteps of the 2022 women’s luminaries and 2023 Under-21s heroes – led by none other than Carsley himself – Gareth Southgate‘s unforgettable England reign came to its natural end after another excruciating silver-medal placement at Euro 2024.
Many were perplexed at England reaching the showpiece match in the first place, having witnessed Southgate’s lethargic and lackadaisical side flatter to deceive throughout the tournament, but another shot at international supremacy ultimately went begging at the hands of Luis de la Fuente‘s irrepressible Spain.
Handing the reins over to a temporary or permanent successor following almost eight years at the FA helm, Southgate kept the manager’s chair warm for Carsley, who has been appointed on an initial interim basis as the governing body scope out potential long-term options; Pep Guardiola‘s name has been mentioned a few times.
Of course, Southgate was appointed on a stop-gap basis before convincing the FA that he merited a permanent contract, and Carsley was inevitably flooded with questions about whether he wants the job beyond the autumn term after naming his first youthful squad.
Storming back into the first tier of the Nations League – which England were embarrassingly relegated from in 2022-23 – would be the perfect start to such a mission, as the Three Lions also prepare to welcome Finland to Wembley three days after Tuesday’s Dublin duel.
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Carsley’s imminent inauguration has certainly overshadowed a second managerial baptism taking place at the Aviva Stadium, as hosts Ireland have turned to former Iceland and Jamaica manager Heimir Hallgrimsson to restore a sense of national pride.
The 57-year-old takes the reins as a permanent successor to Stephen Kenny, who failed miserably in his efforts to end Ireland’s post-Euro 2016 major tournament exile, only winning 11 of his 40 matches while in charge of the Boys in Green.
Following John O’Shea‘s mixed interim spell earlier in the year, where Ireland beat Hungary and impressively drew with Belgium while losing to Switzerland and Portugal, Hallgrimsson was sworn in after his brief spell at the Jamaica helm, where he oversaw the Reggae Boyz’s underwhelming Copa America campaign.
Part of Lars Lagerback‘s Iceland coaching team at Euro 2016, where the Nordic nation inflicted one of England’s most humiliating defeats ever upon them, Hallgrimsson takes over an Ireland crop who boast just two wins from their last 10 contests, while failing to score in three of their last four.
The 57-year-old will at least enjoy a Dublin double-header for his Ireland baptism – Greece arrive at the Aviva Stadium on September 10 – but the Boys in Green have not prevailed over England since the 1988 Euros, drawing their next six battles before the Three Lions put three past them in a 2020 friendly.
Republic of Ireland form (all competitions):
England form (all competitions):
Team News
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Placing faith in some of his former Under-21 stars, England boss Carsley has four uncapped players in his ranks in Tino Livramento, Noni Madueke, Angel Gomes and Morgan Gibbs-White, the former of whom has benefitted from Kieran Trippier‘s international retirement, Kyle Walker‘s snub and Ben White‘s personal snub.
Gibbs-White and Gomes’s hopes of a first start have been boosted by the withdrawals of Cole Palmer and Phil Foden, while Ollie Watkins has pulled out with a fitness issue of his own, joining Jude Bellingham, Ivan Toney, Luke Shaw and Aaron Ramsdale in the players who will be watching on from home.
Carsley’s affirmations that he views Trent Alexander-Arnold as a right-back rather than a midfielder spells optimism for the Liverpool man’s chances of starting this one, while a 99th cap awaits skipper Harry Kane, one of six joint-top scorers at the Euros despite his evident struggles.
As for Hallgrimsson’s first Ireland squad, the 57-year-old has included two players hoping to earn their first senior caps in goalkeeper Max O’Leary and Leicester City attacker Kasey McAteer, but the former will certainly play backup to Caoimhin Kelleher.
No fewer than nine players called up for June’s matches have been omitted this time – including defensive stalwarts Shane Duffy and Enda Stevens – but 35-year-old captain Seamus Coleman is still kicking and is set to win cap number 73 on Saturday.
Bidding to put several months of injury hell behind him, 19-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson will be vying for the central spot alongside the likes of Callum Robinson, Adam Idah and Troy Parrott, but there may be space for two number nines in Hallgrimsson’s system.
Republic of Ireland possible starting lineup:
Kelleher; Coleman, O’Shea, Collins, Brady; Ogbene, Browne, Smallbone, O’Dowda; Ferguson, Idah
England possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Alexander-Arnold, Stones, Maguire, Colwill; Rice, Mainoo; Saka, Eze, Gordon; Kane
We say: Republic of Ireland 0-3 England
Under previous management, Ireland and England loved a stalemate against one another, until the Three Lions broke that streak with a victory they may very well replicate at the Aviva Stadium.
Even with the likes of Bellingham, Foden and Palmer missing, England have enough attacking nous to breach the Ireland backline more than once, and the hosts do not pack much of a punch up front themselves, so it is Carsley’s reign that should get off to the best possible start.
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