Why Lee Carsley will go down in history as England’s BFG

Well that de-escalated quickly. It took seven minutes for Ollie Watkins to score England’s opening goal in Greece on Thursday night, prompting those who had savaged Lee Carsley for having the effrontery to pick a prolific goalscorer in a relatively unimportant game to be confronted with the confusing thought that their pre-match keyboard posturing may not have been entirely proportionate. The Watkins volte-face, although we should really call it a volte-farce given the buffoonery of the more extreme protagonists, symbolised another peculiar night in Carsley’s interim reign. He’ll go down in history as England’s BFG: their Bald Fraud/Genius, with one of the nouns to be deleted depending on what has happened in the last 60 seconds and which way your knee is jerking at the time. The bald bit is non-negotiable.

Carsley’s short time in charge has largely been defined by anger, yet there is a decent argument that it has worked out perfectly. Football management is always about balancing the present and the future, and Carsley – with one or two wobbles, because he’s a human being and they are hardwired to make the occasional mistake – has juggled the two like Penn Jillette. Or was it Teller? Never mind, that’s not the point. England will win their Nations League group provided they don’t screw up at home to Ireland on Sunday; and by opening the shop doors as wide as they can go, Carsley has bequeathed Thomas Tuchel the kind of information that only real-life association football matches can provide.

Carsley gave certain members of the football incelligentsia what they wanted at home to Greece, a team made up entirely of No 10s, and they lost. BF. On Thursday he showed England can function without Harry Kane and that Watkins is a very good striker. BG. He has also given out multiple debuts, mostly to players who look comfortable in an England shirt. BG. There are gazillions of sane, measured England fans; it’s just they can’t get a word in edgeways because of the army of digital bampots that the media inexplicably enables. We include ourselves in that, even if Football Daily doesn’t need to come off TwiXer as it hasn’t been on there in a very long time. And since you asked, we give Bluesky three months before everyone starts shouting at the little fluffy clouds. What are you so happy about? We’re heading for World War III, show some respect and start dropping some rain.

While Carsley’s inner monologue after Watkins’ goal could justifiably have consisted solely of the letters FURB, the moment that gave him most joy was surely debutant Curtis Jones’s delightful late flick, which could only have been improved by Barry Davies being on commentary and delivering one of his catchphrases: “Lovely goal! Lovely goal!” Jones scored the winner for Carsley’s U21 team against Spain in the final of last year’s European Championship final. At the end of the Greece game, Carsley embraced him with paternal pride and broke into the kind of smile you can’t fake. For about 30 seconds, his mind was entirely clear of all the stresses and nonsense of the last few months: not singing the national anthem, those team selections, whether he wanted the job. Soon, Carsley will be back where he belongs: coaching young players, helping them thrive, revelling in their success, a world away from the post-empathy madhouse that the England football team has become.

Join Scott Murray from 7.45pm GMT for hot Nations League minute-by-minute coverage of Scotland 0-0 Croatia.

“It’s been mental. They went to adjust the queue at the front to make it narrower and longer and just did it with force. They were pushing the crowd amongst the fence. They ultimately treat us like animals, then act the victim if there’s retaliation” – England fan Jack Loftus on his experience in Athens after the FA and FSA launched investigations into the actions of Greek police.

I’m obliged to you for drawing my attention to the sad passing of John Dempsey (yesterday’s Football Daily, full email edition). As my own London-based mob were in the lower divisions, I would take advantage of the local transport and watch Division One (as was) outfits when we were away from the Den on a Saturday, and saw him play a number of times. Many years later I managed a day centre and, as the only sports fan in the staff group, would turn out in competitions with other day centres for people with learning disabilities, joined by one staff member per team. When an opposing side called my opposite number ‘Dempsey’, it was clear to me who he was. As tempting as it was for each staff member to become Brian Glover in Kes for the day, it was clear ‘Dempsey’ was naturally committed to coaching, encouraging and including people to enjoy participating and competing. While many of his contemporaries were off running pubs, there he was quietly ‘putting back into the game’ in a gloriously understated way. A fine player, a lovely man for sure” – Michael Lloyd.

Re: Ric Arthur’s complaints about ‘the door marked Do One’ (yesterday’s Football Daily letters). Let me join 1,056 others to note that if they’re vexed by Football Daily using expressions that are ‘overused’, ‘trite’ and ‘tedious’, he can’t be very familiar with your back catalogue” – Richard Stirzaker (and 1,056 others).

Internet browsing today, I found this wonderful series of photos from a different age (I know the Glenn Hoddle one has been referenced here before, quite a bit). I am concerned, though, that Phil Neal took the time to get the right clobber but no one showed him how to set the balls up in the right place” – Andy Morrison.

Re: yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs (full email edition). As much as I respect Diego Forlán for changing sport, you’d think he’d be good at tennis, given he spent much of his time at Manchester United putting the ball over the net at speed?” – Kev McCready.

Send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s letter o’ the day winner is … Kev McCready, who lands their very own piece of Football Weekly merch. Terms and conditions for our competitions can be viewed here.

All the Christmas adverts are out, so forgive us if we’ll do some festive plugging too. Need a gift? Then get to Big Website’s football bookshop, where you’ll find everything from David Squires’s latest to other new releases from Nick Miller, Miguel Delaney and Daisy Christodoulou.

Getting results from an interim manager – and then, ahem, politely directing them through the door marked Do One – is football’s hottest new trend, and the Faroe Islands have got in on the act. Last month, they parted company with Hakan Ericson after three draws and one defeat from four games in the Nations League’s third tier. Not that bad, you might think – but Faroese FA suits wanted more, and called on U21 coaches Eydun Klakstein and Atli Gregersen – who recently won the title with Vikingur playing alongside his son, Árni Atlason – to step in for their last two group games. The duo made an immediate impact, earning a 1-0 win in Armenia thanks to Viljormur Davidsen’s penalty. Now the Faroes may only need a draw at North Macedonia (who have won the group) on Sunday to secure a spot in the League B promotion playoffs. Hopefully the team ranked 138th in the world will see sense and stick with Klakstein and Gregersen, rather than draft in the Nordic version of Thomas Tuchel.

Evan Ferguson is now the proud owner of four senior international goals after the Republic of Ireland’s 1-0 Nations League win over Finland, while the Azzurri are owners of a quarter-final place courtesy of Sandro Tonali’s first Italy goal, in a 1-0 victory of their own against Belgium.

France are also into the last eight, and will play Italy on Sunday to decide top spot in their group, after a goalless draw with Israel. The game at the Stade de France was played in front of fewer than 20,000 fans amid tight security.

Wales can grab a Nations League top-tier spot by beating Turkey on Saturday, and Craig Bellamy is up for it. “You have to relish this, it’s so good,” he cheered. ‘Will we be able to play how we want to play? That’s going to be the test.”

Steve McClaren’s Jamaica are dusting themselves down after losing 1-0 to Mauricio Pochettino’s USA USA USA in the first leg of their Concacaf Nations League quarter-final. Ricardo Pepi got the winner as Demarai Gray missed a penalty for the Reggae Boyz, who also had Mason Holgate sent off late on.

Irene Guerrero has said Manchester United “denied her as a footballer” during an injury-hit spell at the club. “I remember days when, halfway through training, I had to go into the bathroom to cry,” Guerrero, who left United for Club América in July, told Marca. “I did everything in my power to get a chance, but when the weeks go by and you don’t get it, you see how small you are.”

New Manchester United men’s head coach Rúben Amorim feels he is “where I am supposed to be”, which is lucky.

And Gary Lineker says it is “the right time” for him to step down as Match of the Day host at the end of the season. “I think they’re looking to do [it] slightly differently, so it makes sense for someone else to take the helm,” he trilled.

“I love the job, I love to work. I love giving everything on the field, playing until my last drop of sweat. I think that is what has taken me where I am.” Chelsea’s Mayra Ramírez gets her chat on with Suzanne Wrack, while Tom Garry tees up their game with Manchester City and a potential blockbuster rivalry.

Barney Ronay picks over England’s win and “Carsley redux”, while Jacob Steinberg offers his player ratings.

Banned from playing in their home country since March 2022, a punishment applied by Fifa and Uefa for the country’s role facilitating Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, Belarus are still a part of international football, with Friday’s game in Belfast validation for a pariah state. Nick Ames reports.

Aaron Timms on how football’s amorality and transactionalism became the game within the game.

And here are 10 things to look out for in the Premier League loanees and how they’re faring so far this season. By Will Unwin, who’s also written this.

Sometimes it’s just about the simplicity. Here, Crystal Palace players take a dip in the Crystal Palace swimming baths (July 1967).