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Interview: Lee Carsley

20th March 2007

With the vital European Championships qualifier between Republic of Ireland and Wales coming up in the coming month, The Waterfront was able to catch up with Everton midfielder and Irish international, Lee Carsley to talk about Ireland's qualification hopes, and Everton's efforts to qualify for the UEFA Cup.

The forthcoming fixture against Wales will be the first football match ever to be played at Dublin's Croke Park, and Carsley is all too aware of the significance of the occasion. As was the case with rugby, the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) had banned any 'foreign' sports from using Croke Park under Rule 42, which was only repealed in 2005 due to the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road.

"I understand the history that goes with it, and there have been many times that football would never be played there, and for us to be walking out - I'm sure the rugby players felt the same," says Carsley.

"It's all set up isn't it? It's going to be an occasion - first ever game, so we're going to be making history, so it's important."

The midfielder fully expects the encounter with John Toshack's side on 24 March to be a difficult game. Whilst the Irish sit three points off the pacesetters in Group D, Wales are four points further back and only have San Marino behind them to prop up the group.

"I think it'll be tough. It's as close to a derby as you can get, so hopefully it'll be like a Premier League game."

Ireland's chances of qualifying for next year's tournament were hampered by two defeats in their opening two games. A credible draw against Czech Republic at Lansdowne Road helped reverse the slide and has been followed by two victories, albeit both against San Marino. Carsley, however, remains optimistic about Ireland's chances.

"It's going to be difficult," states the midfielder. "But it's all to play for."

The experience of being at a major tournament is already one that Carsley has enjoyed, making a brief appearance during the 2002 World Cup against Saudi Arabia. But being selected for a major tournament isn't necessarily all it's cracked up to be.

"It's really boring," Carsley explains. "We couldn't really move much where we were because there were just thousands of fans outside our hotel constantly. If you went anywhere you'd always have your Ireland gear on and you just get followed everywhere. It was a nightmare."

Domestically, Everton are still striving for a place in the top six that will see them qualify for Europe. It is a target that the club aim for every season, and one that Carsley hopes the Toffees can accomplish.

"Obviously we're competing with Liverpool just down the road, so our target every season is to finish in Europe," he explains. "It wasn't up until a couple of weeks ago people weren't really talking about us but with ten games to go now, we're seventh and it's all to play for it really is."

Carsley has been at Everton for five years, after Walter Smith signed him from Coventry City. In that time, he has seen the side qualify for the Champions' League and also notched the winning goal in the 200th Merseyside derby in 2004. Surely scoring a goal of such significance resonates throughout a player's career?

"It was alright. I've not scored that many goals in my career so to get the winning goal's good but it was more important to get the result. But, in terms of performances, we've probably played better against them this season when we beat them 3-0. That was a great day."

Carsley's career stretches back fifteen years from when he first started out at Derby County, before moving to Blackburn Rovers, Coventry and onto Everton, and the midfielder admits a lot has changed.

"It's become a lot more complex, and I don't know if that's benefited the game or not. We've got all sorts in there now. We've got ProZone, we've got fitness coaches, we've got dieticians. At the end of the day, it's about a ball isn't it? Our first pre-match menus - there are all sorts on there: chicken, steak, I mean you can have what you want. And now it's like you can't eat this, you can't have that. You can't have jam on the table; you're not allowed red sauce, you're not allowed brown sauce. It's shit, it doesn't matter does it?"

Away from football, Carsley loves to escape to spend time with his family, as well as his new business, as he explains.

"I like messing around with the kids. We've got a business. I'm heavily involved in that as well. I love being with my family. That's one thing I won't miss about football - the being away from them."

Having turned 33 on 28 February, Carsley is definitely looking towards the future, but what exactly does that future hold for him?

"My contract's up at the end of the season," he says. "I've been offered a new deal here. We both agreed that we'd talk about it in the summer. I'm doing my coaching badges now, there's a few of us here doing that, so I think I'll go down that line. I love football and it'd be interesting if I come to the point where I could have a job and put a bit back into it."

With a good few years still left in Carsley's tank, he obviously feels there is still much to be achieved with both Everton and Ireland. Whether that starts at the expense of Wales on 24 March remains to be seen.

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