Carsley’s Excitement For ‘Special’ Goodison Night

Lee Carsley says he is looking forward to returning to “special” Goodison Park with his England Under-21s as they take on Northern Ireland during the international break. 

The Young Lions will host their British rivals in a UEFA EURO qualifier at the Grand Old Lady on Tuesday 21 November (7.45pm GMT).

It’s set to be a memorable evening for Carsley who made more than 150 Premier League appearances over a six-year spell for the Toffees. 

In an exclusive interview with evertontv, the former midfielder opened up on his eagerness to get back to Goodison while also acknowledging the sadness that it could be the final time he’s there from a professional standpoint. 

“It’s great to be coming back to Goodison Park,” said Carsley. “When we had the opportunity to bring the team here, it was something we were proud to do.

“We’ve been lucky to take the team around the country, and play at some good venues but this one is a special one for myself. 

On it being Carsley’s potential last time at Goodison before the Club moves to their new stadium, he added: “It’s a bit sad. This ground has so much character about it. It’s a unique place. 

“Goodison will always have a unique history. Not just in Everton history, but in football history and hopefully, we (England Under-21s) can do ourselves justice on the night.”

Tickets are available to purchase online here, at the Goodison Road Box Office or by calling 0151 556 1878. Office opening hours can be found here. For any further enquiries, please contact Everton directly by clicking here.

Carsley was born in the Midlands and made over 500 combined senior appearances for domestic clubs and the Republic of Ireland. Yet, he represented no side more than he did Everton and makes no secret of the fact he remains a staunch Evertonian. 

“Whenever anyone speaks about my playing career, they always reference Everton and the time I had with the Club, which I am really proud of,” he reveals. 

“I’m still lucky enough to get invited to events that the fans put on, I feel honoured when I get asked to come back. It’s a club that will always hold a special place for me.”

Carsley’s affection for Everton means he still pays close attention to their progress, even despite juggling the demands of his duties with England. 

Although the 49-year-old acknowledged it hasn’t been easy watching Everton’s struggles from afar across the past two years, he’s been encouraged by the progress being made under manager Sean Dyche this season and believes there are similarities between this current Everton side, and the resolute one he played in under David Moyes. 

“You can see what Dyche is trying to do in terms of making the team difficult to play against and difficult to beat,” explained Carsley. “He often talks about good foundations, values and getting the basics right. That’s definitely a good place to start.

“Team spirit and togetherness takes time. That wasn’t something that came overnight with our squad. We had to learn and be resilient. We had to have a fair bit of setbacks to improve and had to stick together. But I see a lot of similarities [between both sides]. 

Tickets are available to purchase online here, at the Goodison Road Box Office or by calling 0151 556 1878. Office opening hours can be found here. For any further enquiries, please contact Everton directly by clicking here.