The German now has even more reasons to look forward to taking charge of the Three Lions in January after a resounding win at Wembley
Lee Carsley ended his spell as England interim coach just as he had begun it – with a punishing win over Ireland. The former Ireland player began his tenure hopeful that he could land the job on a permanent basis, but from last month he already knew that he would be handing over to Thomas Tuchel. And the German has a lot to be grateful to his predecessor for.
When he officially begins his new job on January 1, Tuchel will be working with a team in rude health who are back where they belong, dining at Europe's top table after winning promotion back to UEFA Nations League A. Wherever he was watching the game, Tuchel will have been reminded of the everlasting brilliance of Harry Kane, who sparked a rampant second-half demolition with a peach of a pass to Jude Bellingham, resulting in England winning a penalty and Ireland having defender Liam Scales sent off.
It was a downhill ride for the Three Lions from then on, as four first-time scorers got in on the act over the course of their 5-0 rout. But there was a word of warning for those who chose to sit out this international camp: there are plenty of players willing to take your place.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Wembley..
AFPWINNER: Harry Kane
Kane responded to being dropped from the starting line-up for Thursday's win over Greece by giving England a reminder of what makes him so special. While the Three Lions have a whole host of dazzling wingers and even another fine centre-forward in Ollie Watkins, they have very few players with an ability to pick out a pass that can split an entire defence and turn a game on its head.
Kane was not having the most enjoyable outing when the half-time whistle went. He botched a promising move on the counter when he was dispossessed by Scales, and he showed his frustration when he hauled Jayson Molumby to the floor at the end of the first half, collecting a booking in the process. But he changed the game shortly after the break with his world-class ball to Bellingham, which he later admitted was the best pass he had delivered in his career.
Even though Caoimhin Kelleher has a fine penalty-saving record at Wembley, he stood no chance in the face of Kane, who scored his 23rd consecutive spot-kick since missing against France at the last World Cup. From there, Kane continued to fuel England's attacks with his long-range passes, and his performance underlined why Gareth Southgate kept on picking him during Euro 2024, despite his questionable levels of sharpness. He will not always deliver 10/10 performances, but he still has a talismanic quality which will make him an asset to Tuchel.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportLOSER: The missing players
England's players who had declared themselves not fit for the two games had already faced the wrath of Kane, who accused some members of the squad of "taking advantage" of the difficult stage of the club season. And then they were reminded that there are plenty of talented individuals ready and willing to take their place.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis showed he can compete with Levi Colwill and Jarrad Branthwaite for a back-up centre-back spot behind Marc Guehi and John Stones, while Kyle Walker gives added competition after slotting in with little fuss at the heart of the defence. Declan Rice should be assured of his place in Tuchel's plans, but Curtis Jones showed the Arsenal midfielder and the injured Kobbie Mainoo that he can give him them both a run for their money.
Jack Grealish's place has been put at risk due to his form nose-diving in the past year, and both Jarrod Bowen and Anthony Gordon now look to be ahead of him in the pecking order. Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has so often struggled to feel at home in the England squad, has been given a gentle warning by Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento.
Getty Images SportWINNER: Thomas Tuchel
Tuchelwas nowhere to be seen at Wembley Sunday or in Athens earlier in the week, and had the Three Lions failed to win either game, he would have been left with the awkward task of negotiating a Nations League promotion play-off as his first act as coach. He would also have faced further scrutiny over his decision to not start the role until January.
As it turns out, his future team were in safe hands under Carsley, and the German can now fully focus on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup and ultimately trying to win it. He has also got to see more debutants in action and he will have seen that there is a wealth of quality across the squad.
There is some doubt over how experimental Tuchel will be with picking youngsters, amid rumours that he will try to reintegrate Marcus Rashford and Mason Mount. But even if he does prioritise experienced players over fledglings, he has seen the potential of the likes of Hall and Livramento, while he has also seen that the next generation of youngsters can thrive in the Under-21s under the guidance of Carsley.
Getty Images SportLOSER: Liam Scales
Ireland had enjoyed the rarest of feelings in two of their last three international fixtures, having beaten Finland home and away. And they equipped themselves well in the first half at Wembley, limiting England to zero shots on target. But, sure enough, they succumbed to another painful defeat to their hated neighbours after September's loss in Dublin, and this turned out to be their heaviest defeat in 12 years, since losing 6-1 to Germany in 2012.
Scales has to take a heavy proportion of the blame. The Celtic defender clumsily fouled Bellingham seven minutes into the second half to give away the penalty and the infraction saw him sent off as he had needlessly got himself booked at the end of the first half for delaying an England free-kick. Ireland stood no chance with 10 men, and in the end they were fortunate to get away with conceding just five goals.
