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Ian Wright questioned Lee Carsley's “passion” for England's top job and advised him to stay away if it wasn't exactly what he wanted.
Carsley will play his fourth match for the temporary Three Lions team against Finland, after two wins and one loss in the previous three matches.
Following the 2-1 defeat to Greece on Thursday evening, he insisted that “I hope to get back into the Under-21 team” at the end of his six-game temporary spell, prompting questions about how badly Gareth Southgate's successor wants to play.
The Football Association currently has major reservations that Carsley – who has been successful at youth level – wants to make a lasting promotion, which Wright is also concerned about.
“I think if you're the one in charge of the job and you don't have the passion to say I want to do this job, then it's probably not the job for him,” Wright told ITV Sport ahead of England's clash with Finland.
Ian Wright advised Lee Carsley to stay away unless he really wanted the England job
After the 2-1 defeat to Greece, he said he hoped to return to the U21 team after the transition period
“What I listened to him talking about returning to the Under-21s is not something he is looking at, just a full international job.
But when he does, I'm glad he's doing what he wants. As long as he's sitting here, you should do exactly what he wants.
Roy Keane agreed with his co-author's views.
“Over the last month or so since he got the job, he has been telling me that he will focus on the upcoming games,” Keane told ITV Sport.
“That's what the English FA told him and he gave no information that he was desperate for the job.
I know he said a few years ago that he didn't really want to work with older players. He felt good working with younger players. And of course he has the right to change his mind.
– And he tasted it too. And sometimes you feel like you get a taste of something and he just thinks about it, especially when you had a disappointing result and obviously negative publicity. “Do I really want this?”
As Mail Sport reports, there is skepticism within the FA about Carsley's appetite for the job, particularly after his comments in recent days.
Ian Wright says Carsley gave 'no message that he was desperate for the job'
The interim coach of the England national team did not want to get involved in his future after the defeat against Greece
His credentials and achievements at youth level are impressive – he won the European Under-21 Championship last year with a less-favoured England team – and he has signaled his penchant for long-term player development – which is perhaps not the main priority of a team aiming to win tournaments.
Asked if the defeat against Greece would affect his ambitions to be permanent boss, Carsley replied: “I was quite surprised after the last camp with people saying that the job was mine and that I was going to lose it and so on (after beating Ireland and Finland).
“My tasks were clear from the beginning. I'm doing three camps, I have three games left and then I hope to return to the U21 team.
“It (defeat) has no impact. I said at the beginning that I wouldn't exclude or exclude myself, and I still do.
“I feel more than comfortable in the position I am in. After the first camp, I definitely wasn't very excited and didn't have much faith.
“I know this job is one of the best in the world because you really have a chance to win major competitions, and it still does.”
The 50-year-old was asked to clarify whether he wanted the job or not, but he did not give a clear answer.
