STOP THE CAR

LEE CARSLEY has been told he will NOT get the England job, SunSport can reveal.

The FA are believed to have added Pep Guardiola to the shortlist to replace Gareth Southgate.

Carsley, 50, is understood to have accepted the FA’s decision without complaint.

He agreed to act as caretaker boss for six England games this autumn, during which time he has been repeatedly questioned about his plans.

SunSport’s revelation that Carsley had already been told the FA were looking elsewhere explains his seemingly bizarre comments after the Greece defeat that he would “hopefully be going back to the under 21’s.”

Carsley has been criticised for failing to offer clarity but has earned the admiration of his FA bosses for attempting to give nothing away and keeping their recruitment plans secret.

The FA have been sounding out potential candidates, including Guardiola, since Southgate resigned in July but have yet to hold formal talks with anyone.

Carsley’s willingness to take charge of England’s Nations League campaign this autumn has bought the FA some time.

He hinted that he was in agreement with the FA’s plans after Sunday’s 3-1 win in Finlandwithout giving much away.

He said: “People are always going to try and put their chips on one side. I’m in the middle.

“My bosses have made it clear what they need from me. This job deserves a world-class coach who has won trophies and I am still on the path to that.”

Guardiola, 53, has won 15 trophies in eight years at Manchester City but he is out of contract at the end of the season.

The FA are hoping they can tempt him to take the England job from the summer onwards.

He was coy when asked about his future, saying: “Leaving City? It’s not true, I haven’t decided yet.

“And it is not even true that I will be the nextEngland coach. If I had decided I would say it… I don’t know either, anything can happen.”

The FA insist they have a shortlist of candidates, but the recruitment process has been complicated by uncertainty over England’s fixture list.

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham wants a permanent manager in place for the start of England’s 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, but they do not know if that will be next March or the following September.

England will start their World Cup campaign in March if they win their Nations League group, but they are currently three points behind Greece with two games remaining.

If England finish second they will enter the Nations League play-offs and be placed in one of the four-team World Cup qualifiying groups, which does not begin until September. — Sun.

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