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At the crossroads England future uncertain after qualifying loss
LONDON (Reuters) -- England faces an uncertain future after the double blow of losing its opening World Cup qualifier to Germany and its coach Kevin Keegan. Keegan, who quit after Saturday's group nine 1-0 defeat at Wembley, was slaughtered by the British press on Sunday for the timing of his decision. Dubbed a "coward" and a "deserter," his resignation just four days before another qualifier away to Finland is certain to test the Football Association's skills in crisis management. F.A. technical director Howard Wilkinson will be caretaker manager for Wednesday's match. England needs to win, or at least avoid another defeat, if it is to set a course for the 2002 finals in Japan and South Korea. However, the bigger question remains the future head of the national team, with much speculation pointing to a historic first appointment of a foreign coach. Bookies have named former England manager Terry Venables, who took the national side to the semifinals of Euro 96, as the most likely successor. Venables indicated in a newspaper interview in late June that he would be willing to return, but warned: "I would want to know I had the backing of everyone at the F.A." Other home candidates include Peter Taylor, the former England Under-21 coach who has guided Leicester City to top slot in the league for the first time since 1963, and John Gregory of last season's FA Cup finalists' Aston Villa. However, with foreign coaches being increasingly popular in the Premier League, the F.A. is now willing to break with tradition and look at non-English candidates for the national job. Time to look abroad?The most successful manager of the past decade has been Manchester United's Scottish chief Alex Ferguson, while rival Arsenal did the league and cup double in 1998 under Frenchman Arsene Wenger and Chelsea won a League Cup, a European Cup Winners' Cup and an FA Cup under recently departed Italian Gianluca Vialli. Another Frenchman, Gerard Houllier, is in charge at Liverpool, while Ireland's David O'Leary has worked wonders at Leeds United. F.A. chief executive Tony Crozier said: "It does not matter if the man is English, Scottish, Irish or Welsh -- French, Belgian or Dutch or anything else, as long as he is the right man." Extending the search beyond England's borders was backed by Britain's former sports minister Tony Banks, who told BBC radio on Sunday: "I think it's time to look around the world. "This ridiculous idea that only an English person can actually act as a coach for the England team is nonsense. "Look at the top five premier managers last season. They were all non-English." Bookies tip Wenger as the most likely foreign candidate, though it is hard to see Arsenal releasing its man after the Gunners' promising start to the season in England and Europe. Marcello Lippi, sacked by Inter Milan last week, but who made Italian, European and world champions out of Juventus, has been quoted at 14-1 to take over from Keegan. Whoever takes on the job faces an uphill task after England's poor showing at Euro 2000 and a disastrous start to their World Cup qualifying. But F.A. spokesman David Davies remains defiantly optimistic about the team's chances. He told BBC television on Sunday: "We've only lost one game; there are 21 points to go."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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