Most supporters still feel the familiar desolation that followed England's Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain. Gareth Southgate resigned in the aftermath of that crushing disappointment, but three months have passed since then, and the FA has yet to make a decision on his permanent successor.
Lee Carsley was being considered as a leading candidate after an impressive start to his interim reign. England played on the front foot in comfortable wins over the Republic of Ireland and Finland as the former U21s boss ditched the overly cautious blueprint that made Southgate such a divisive figure.
But it was a false dawn. Carsley was brought crashing back down to earth on Thursday as he watched Greece pick up a deserved win over his dismal England side at Wembley. Carsley went for an ultra-attacking line-up, with Jude Bellingham deployed as a false nine in the absence of Harry Kane, and it completely backfired as England were left exposed on the counter.
The Three Lions bounced back with a 3-1 away win against Finland, but it was another unconvincing performance that raised more questions over Carsley's credentials. "I keep saying the same thing. My remit was six games and I'm happy with that," he said after the game. "This job deserves a world-class coach that has won trophies and I am still on the path to that."
Carsley didn't completely rule himself out of the running, but it seems like his time in the dugout will be short-lived. The question is: who is better suited to the job? GOAL has ranked the nine other main contenders, with only a select few falling into the world-class bracket...