**Carsley is Not the Issue – There’s a Deeper Problem at the Heart of English Football** This England squad is in dire need of a coach who can instill a sense of purpose that transcends the mere desire to win trophies. As England prepares to face Finland, a nation consistently ranked as the happiest in the world, there’s a certain irony in the situation. Finland, with its prosperity, equality, high education levels, and strong social support systems, stands in stark contrast to England’s ongoing struggles. The lessons that Finland embodies—lessons about contentment and realistic aspirations—are likely to be ignored by a nation grappling with its own discontent. In Helsinki, Lee Carsley finds himself in a precarious position, with just three matches left to secure a role that seemed his after a promising start but has since become uncertain. His apparent lack of desire for the job only adds to the confusion. Given the general apathy towards the Nations League format, it seems inevitable that English football would turn inward during this autumn break, indulging in its own melodrama—a prolonged debate over Carsley’s future. The situation reflects a deeper malaise within English football, one that goes beyond the coach or the players. It’s a crisis of identity and purpose that needs addressing if the team is to move forward.