Finland 1-3 England: Clock ticking for Lee Carsley & FA after week of confusion
England - and interim manager Lee Carsley - left Finland with a win to warm them against freezing temperatures but this has been an international camp riddled with chaos and confusion on and off the pitch.
Carsley's side simply had to fly out of Helsinki victorious after the tactical debacle that brought defeat against Greece at Wembley on Thursday ? and it was duly achieved, although in a far from convincing fashion.
England's interim manager now has two more games, the tough trip to face Greece in Athens and a Wembley meeting with the Republic of Ireland in November, before the dizzying dance around whether he wants the job - or the Football Association actually want him to do it - must end.
Carsley's public evasion of indicating any desire to commit beyond two more games has created uncertainty, all this with the clock ticking and the FA still not holding formal negotiations with any other potential targets to succeed Gareth Southgate on a permanent basis.
England's two performances against Greece and Finland have not bolstered Carsley's claims, should he even want the post, so eventually someone ? either the interim manager or more pertinently the FA ? must bring clarity to this cloudy situation.
The presumption must be that the FA knows Carsley's intentions. It would almost be a dereliction of duty if it were otherwise, but time is now running out to crystallise thoughts on what is arguably the biggest single decision the organisation has to take.
His words in Helsinki were at first telling as he said: "This job deserves a world-class coach that has won trophies and I am still on the path to that."
Was this Carsley, an outstanding England Under-21 coach, admitting he does not possess the qualifications for the top job? It could be interpreted this way, but this has become an unsatisfactory word salad.
He then insisted after the game that it is "definitely" wrong to say he has ruled himself out of the job, saying he is keeping an "open mind".
Carsley's mixed messaging with the media has exacerbated the situation, with his thoughts and intentions on whether he wants the full-time job badly blurred.
Confused? You will be.
