Former Everton and Derby midfielder Lee Carsley has been working within the England setup since 2015; Ashley Cole, who won 107 international caps during his playing career, will balance his role with academy coaching duties at Chelsea
Tuesday 27 July 2021 17:47, UK
Lee Carsley has been appointed England U21 head coach, with Ashley Cole confirmed as his assistant.
Carsley, 47, steps up from his position in charge of the U20 team to replace Aidy Boothroyd, who left the role in April after five years in charge when the young lions were knocked out of the European U21 Championship.
Ex-Chelsea and England left-back Cole's appointment sees him take up his first major coaching job since retiring from playing in August 2019.
Carsley, who won 40 caps for the Republic of Ireland, said: "I see it as a massive honour and achievement to coach the Under-21s.
"It is a really prestigious position with a lot of responsibility as has been proven by the calibre of predecessors in this role. Gareth (Southgate) and Steve Holland have always been very supportive and I am looking forward to working more closely with them.
"We have a great opportunity to help the senior side by developing the best young talent in this country while combining that with being successful at U21 level.
"We want to win matches. I don't think you can have one without the other, these lads want to compete at the highest level and test themselves against the best. We have to acknowledge the work being done by the academies and I know how important it will be to have good relationships with the clubs.
"I will have a great team around me. Ashley is a brilliant addition to the staff and we will also have Tim Dittmer as goalkeeping coach, with all of his experience of the game.
"I have been on courses with Ashley during lockdown and been impressed. He is committed to coaching and player development so a lot of our thoughts are aligned."
Cole, who won 107 caps for England, will take up the position while continuing his role as an U15 coach with Chelsea's academy.
Earlier this year Cole took part in the launch of England Football Learning's International Player to Coach (IP2C) programme, which works with former and current international players as they transition to coaching.
"I am really happy to get this opportunity to support Lee and work with the best youngsters in the country," Cole said.
"I loved playing for the national team and to now get the chance to work as an England coach is a special feeling. St George's Park is an amazing place and I can't wait to get started.
"I want to do my best to help young players to develop, and also learn from some brilliant people at the same time."
Carsley's first game in charge will be a friendly against Romania in Bucharest on September 3, with a European Championship qualifier at home to Kosovo to follow four days later.
