LEE CARSLEY’S swansong as England interim boss has turned into a car crash after a staggering EIGHT players withdrew from his squad through ‘injury’.
The FA’s decision to allow incoming manager Thomas Tuchel to delay his arrival backfired spectacularly with the biggest mass withdrawal of players in England’s history.
GettyLee Carsley will take a skeleton squad to Greece[/caption]
GettyDeclan Rice is out after playing with a broken toe against Chelsea[/caption]
GettyBukayo Saka limped off at Stamford Bridge[/caption]
SplashThomas Tuchel will not take charge of England until January[/caption]
The Arsenal duo of Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, the Manchester City pair Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, Chelsea’s Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill, Liverpool full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold and back-up keeper Aaron Ramsdale are all out.
England visit Greece on Thursday and host the Republic of Ireland on Sunday in two Nations League clashes, with promotion back to the competition’s top tier at stake.
Yet after Tuchel opted not to take up his post until January, several players with fitness issues are taking a rest, leaving Carsley with a skeleton squad to work with and the FA with egg on their faces.
John Stones, Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo, Luke Shaw and Ebere Eze were already ruled out from the original party named by Carsley last week.
In all, six of the eleven who started this summer’s Euros Final defeat by Spain are now absent – as well as Palmer, who scored England’s goal after arriving as a sub in Berlin.
Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers has received his first call-up, with West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen, Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, Newcastle full-back Tino Livramento and keeper James Trafford also added to the party.
Rice, Saka, Palmer and Colwill all started the 1-1 draw between Chelsea and Arsenal on Sunday but all have cried off international duty – Rice and Palmer after passing late fitness tests to play for their clubs.
Midfield man Rice played with a broken toe on Sunday but will not be risked for England.
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Saka limped off late on at Stamford Bridge but Chelsea’s Colwill and Palmer lasted the distance.
Alexander-Arnold could face a lengthy lay-off with a hamstring problem after being substituted in the first half Liverpool’s win over Aston Villa on Saturday.
For Foden and Palmer, it is a second injury withdrawal in three camps under Carsley’s temporary charge.
Grealish has not trained for two weeks and Carsley’s decision to include him in his squad sparked a sarcastic response from City boss Pep Guardiola.
City right-back Kyle Walker has remained in the squad but is also believed to be a fitness doubt.
Dodgy sicknotes became a thing of the past under previous manager Gareth Southgate but you would not have to be a major cynic to suggest they have returned in droves under Carsley.
Rogers, Livramento and his fellow Newcastle full-back Lewis Hall can all expect to win their first full caps this week, given the extent of the injury crisis.
England must beat Greece by at least two goals and also defeat Ireland if they are to seal automatic promotion from the second tier of the Nations League.
Tuchel is not expected to attend either match and the FA claim the decision to delay the German’s arrival was made by mutual consent – although it is believed to be a money issue related to his departure, and subsequent gardening leave, from Bayern Munich.
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