AS international incidents go, this one was rather delicate.
It is September 2024 and England are taking on the Republic of Ireland in Dublin.
And it’s Lee Carsley‘s very FIRST match in charge of the full England team, having been handed a six-month Nations League campaign to catch the eye of the FA powerbrokers.
But then Carsley has always found himself at the intersection between two natonalities.
Born in Birmingham, but qualified to play for Ireland through his grandmother, who was born in Cork, first Carsley chose to play for Ireland Under-21s rather than England after coming under the influence of Paul McGrath as a young player at Derby.
Then he reportedly rebuffed the chance to land the Ireland manager’s job to remain part of the England setup.
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But back then there was only one subject on everyone’s lips: would he sing God Save the King at the Aviva Stadium for the match?
Carsley said there wouldn’t be.
In fact, he said he had never sung the national anthem of Ireland EITHER and was sticking to his ritual.
It was a matter which dominated the UK news agenda, with leader writers and columnists taking him to task on the matter.
But Carsley – stuck to his guns – and here is what he said: “This is something that I always struggled with when I was playing for Ireland.
“The gap between your warm-up, your coming on to the pitch and the delay with the anthems. So it’s something that I have never done.
“I was always really focused on the game and my first actions of the game. I really found that in that period I was wary about my mind wandering off.
“I was really focused on the football and I have taken that into coaching. We had the national anthem with the Under-21s also and I am in a zone at that point.
“I am thinking about how the opposition are going to set up and our first actions within the game.
“I fully respect both anthems and understand how much they mean to both countries. It’s something I am really respectful of.”
Celtic under Dermot Desmond have had a habit of parachuting high-profile Irishmen into prominent positions.
Twenty five years ago, one such man was Martin O’Neill himself and history could well repeat itself with Kieran McKenna of Ipswich Town emerging as an early frontrunner.
But Carsley – once an identikit Everton midfielder to Thomas Gravesen, albeit without some of the high jinks – has made a stealthy move up in the rankings with the bookmakers.
Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
