One week ago, you'd be hard-pressed to have found somebody who didn't think Lee Carsley had earned his shot as England manager following a winning start to his interim term.
Seven days is a long time in football though, and the Young Lions boss has embarked upon a roller-coaster with self-destruction against Greece and recovery against Finland.
Throughout press briefings, Carsley has been elusive on whether he expects to become Gareth Southgate's successor, or if he even wants the job - but what should the FA do?
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DAZN lays out the case for and against Lee Carsley as England manager, and whether he is the man to lead them to the FIFA United 2026 World Cup.
Should England appoint Lee Carsley as permanent manager?
The position of England manager is more than just that of a man tasked with leading the national team to success and silverware. It's about the culture, the identity and more.
Southgate helped to redefine what the role meant to a new generation of fans, and reignited the old ones stung by successive tournament collapses over the past two decades.
He came from within at the FA, promoted from St George's Park, initially as the makeshift bandage following the embarressment of Sam Allardyce, then as the permanent stitch.
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He mended the psyche, and delivered the most successful tenure seen by an England manager since Sir Alf Ramsey - so why not repeat the trick and promote from within?
So much of England's approach over the past decade-and-a-half has been to nourish its managerial talent from within, seeking to create continuity through successive eras.
It has worked for other nations too - Luis de la Fuente stepped up to the senior team with Spain and won Euro 2024. Lionel Scaloni led Argentina to the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Then there is Carsley's own record in international management on the youth level. This is not like England would be promoting a man who has been proven to underwhelm.
Just last year, he guided the Young Lions to the 2023 European Under-21 Championship title, defeating Spain in a final with plenty of players now part of the senior set-up too.
Declan Rice, who scored in Sunday's 3-1 win over Finland, certainly feels Carsley has brought fresh life to a side that, despite making the Euro 2024 final, looked tired and jaded.
"With the way he has been and the way we have played, I think he has been unbelievable," he said after the match. "We as senior players are not surprised.
"But we have said how good he was in meetings. Look at Jack Grealish. He put an arm around him, gave him confidence, they are the things players love and Lee has done that."
Carsley appears to have offered respite and refreshment after the weighty conclusion of Southgate's tenure, a man who has put a spring in the step of his players.
If his popularity holds through his final camp in November, with tests against the Republic of Ireland at home and Greece away, then his audition might be a surefire success.
Should England appoint another permanent manager?
On the other hand, Carsley is yet to look particularly comfortable under the glare of the spotlight like his predecessor - and that was even before Thursday's almighty misfire.
Southgate drew criticsm from both respected pundits and armchair fans for his dogged decision to maintain several players in his team, even when failing form or missing minutes.
Ultimately, it was an approach that paid dividends - he reached two major tournament finals in his eight years at the helm, more than any other England men's manager in history.
Yet by Euro 2024, with the cries of a baying public demanding he offer them the full wealth of attacking options the Three Lions have been littered with, he bowed and delivered.
Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden had terrific individual seasons for their club last term, but neither man felt comfortable as a natural fit during their exploits in Germany.
So when Carsley took advantage of Harry Kane's absence through injury to try both men again, with the addition of a red-hot Cole Palmer in the mix too, it could only go one way.
Neither Bellingham or Foden, for one reason or another, appears to have recovered from the summer, and with a third attacking midfielder in the mix, it was confusion and chaos.
For a man who had played a defined system in his first two games at the helm, who built a reputation on defined spatial disicipline, it felt like the moment swallowed Carsley whole.
Greece could have scored five in the end. As it was, their 2-1 win at Wembley Stadium was still richly deserved, with Bellingham's strike unable to mask England's blushes.
A gamble like that in the second tier of the UEFA Nations League is excusable only to a point. How about in the back end of qualifying, or a major tournament itself?
Carsley seemed to realise his decision had shortchanged expectations, saying: "It is one of the top jobs in the world [and] it deserves a top coach."
If it is to be considered one of the top gigs in the game, then why should England settle for a man whose risk profile appears more to vindicate common sense than high reward?
Graham Potter has appeared from managerial exile on late-night sports shows. Eddie Howe remains highly regarded. Pep Guardiola's contract with Manchester City is almost up.
Thomas Tuchel, the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich coach, moved to the top of the odds after the Greece defeat. The German is a UEFA Champions League-winning boss.
Carsley could be considered a safe option, even with Thursday's performance. But if England truly wants to end what will be sixty years of hurt, then they may need to look higher.