England to face their Icelandic foe

Last updated : 05 August 2024 By Three Lions

There will be new faces in both dug-outs when the Republic of Ireland host England in their opening Nations League fixture in September.

As the Football Association continue their search for Gareth Southgate's successor, Ireland made the surprise announcement recently that Stephen Kenny was to be replaced by Heimir Hallgrimsson.

Although the news blindsided many in the Irish game, England fans will be well aware of the most famous result in Hallgrimsson's managerial career when he was in joint-charge of his native Iceland at Euro 2016.

A 2-1 victory in Nice spelled the end of Roy Hodgson's reign with then under-21 boss Southgate installed as the early bookmakers' favourite to succeed him, although that scenario had to wait until Sam Allardyce's brief spell in charge foundered on the rocks.

Fast foward to 2024 and current under-21 manager Lee Carsley, himself a former Ireland international and heavily linked with the job now taken by Hallgrimsson, is currently seen as the most likely candidate to be in charge of England's return to action following the Euros, even if it is only as a caretaker.