Carsley hands uncapped duo first call-ups in final England squad
Newcastle left-back Lewis Hall and Southampton centre-back Taylor Harwood-Bellis have received their first England call-ups in interim boss Lee Carsley’s final squad.
Hall has impressed for Newcastle this season, playing in all 10 Premier League games and could provide an answer to England’s left-back problems.
Harwood-Bellis has also been an ever-present for Saints and has impressed amid a difficult start to life back in the Premier League for his club.
Carsley said: “They’re both players who have played a lot of minutes this season and have shown they can consistently play in the Premier League at a high level. Players that I both know really well.
“The relationship and longevity that I’ve known Taylor from Man City and captaining the under-21s, having a successful summer with promotion and playing in the Premier League week in and week out, he’s a player that really deserves it. An outstanding captain and a brilliant example to the rest of the players in the under-21s squad.
“Lewis is a player who’s took his time to settle in, high quality, left-footed and a player who deserves to be in and has shown he can be really consistent.”
Carsley will return to his role as Under-21s manager after forthcoming Nations League games with Greece and the Republic of Ireland, with Thomas Tuchel starting as the new boss in January.
John Stones and Kobbie Mainoo are ruled out with injuries, but Declan Rice, Jack Grealish and Cole Palmer are included despite fitness issues of their own.
Uncapped Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones is also back in the squad after his maiden call-up for last month’s games against Greece and Finland.
The 23-year-old was part of the Euro 2024 training camp and was last month drafted in as an injury replacement, only to withdraw after the Greece game due to the birth of his daughter.
England head to the Olympic Stadium in Athens next Thursday to face Greece, who have a three-point cushion over them at the top of Group B2.
The international year ends with the Wembley showdown against Ireland – the nation Carsley represented as a player – three days later.
Tuchel ‘had no influence on squad selection’
Tuchel has signed an 18-month deal that begins on January 1, so will only be an interested observer during November’s games.
Carsley said: “He hasn’t had any influence on the squad selection. I’ve spoken to him by text, but it’s literally congratulations.
“I think he’s highly respectful of the job that not only myself, but the staff are doing.
“We’ve been left to it, like we always have, I still see this as a massive privilege and the trust the FA have shown us in the last three camps, this is the final two games.
“We’re looking forward to a tough game in Greece and the Republic of Ireland at home, two games we’re looking forward to.”
Defeat in Athens next Thursday would end England’s chances of automatic promotion from the second tier and mean his first camp in March would involve Nations League play-off fixtures.
Carsley believes his stint in charge of the senior team will help him in his under-21s role.
“My role will be back with the under-21s, a role that I’m really privileged to do,” he added.
“With that there’s total support for the senior team and the job’s quite clear in terms of to produce and develop players to play in the senior team.
“I think I’m probably in a better position now to do that because I’ve obviously seen the level the seniors are operating at.”