Bratislava, Slovakia – Dis Saturday go be one hot day for Lee Carsley as him dey prepare to face Germany for the European Under-21 Championship final. England, wey don carry di trophy two years ago, want defend their title and show say dem no be joro-joro team.
Carsley don quickly turn from being a coach wey dey undercover to one wey everybody dey look up to after him performance in di last two years. E don come light like say dem dey shine light for am, and as e mean no time to reflect, him just dey focus on how to win di match against Germany on Saturday.
“I no fit believe how fast things don change,” e talk, as him dey feel di excitement. “I gats sit down and think about di journey, but trust me, na big privilege to dey do dis work.” Carsley don learn well from di senior team, and e even dey joke say coaching dem no too dey drown am.
A win on Saturday go make am join di league of great coaches like Dave Sexton wey win di title back in 1982 and 1984. Dis show say di FA no miss their chance to trust am when dem put di whole thing for his hand two years ago.
Di pressure no dey heavy for Carsley, as e fit keep calm even for di semi-final against di Netherlands. Wearing long sleeve top (who wear dat for hot weather?), e manage di tension and play di game like say e dey enjoy am, no show any sign of palaver for di sideline. E even gree say di pressure dey real, but him know say e gats keep am cool if he want di players to shine.
“If dem see me dey shout and vex, how dem go feel relaxed to dey play? We gats trust dem say dem go follow di gameplan,” Carsley yan.
Di truth be say dis man don grow into di role wey he dey play. When e first come, e no be like person wey sabi how to face di press, but now, e dey joke with di journalists about their dressing and blend well with di players. Omo, he don catch di groove!
And di players too don respect di way him dey run di show. “He don create community wey strong,” Charlie Cresswell talk. “Na him lead di way, but na di whole staff wey dey follow suit. Di togetherness wey we get as squad na inspiration by itself.”
Even di captain, James McAtee, don talk about di trust wey dem get for Carsley, saying e makes dem feel special and important as players. Na so dem dey march enter di final with full spirit. Omo, as dem enter dis stage, e clear say Cars dey push dem make dem no dey fear penalty shootouts again.
As di countdown dey begin for di final, Carsley dey eye legacy wey no go fit disappear. “We gats sharpen our game, make sure we dey show say we fit dominate di tournament,” e don drop as e dey prepare for di big finish on Saturday. Di whole England dey wait for di outcome, and di stakes no fit high pass dis one!
