Wilkinson might stay until season's end
Interim English coach would pave way for Keegan's arrival
Posted: Saturday February 13, 1999 09:33 AM
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Wilkinson doesn't want the England job long-term. Phil Cole/Allsport |
LONDON (Reuters) -- Howard Wilkinson is expected to continue on as England coach until the end of this season when Kevin Keegan could take over on a permanent basis.
British newspapers said on Saturday that Wilkinson did not want the England job on a long-term basis and wished to return to being technical director, a post which could be given more influence under a proposed reform of the Football Association.
The F.A. may ask Keegan, manager of second division Fulham, to support Wilkinson at this season's European championship qualifiers, starting with the game against Poland on March 27.
But their primary aim is to secure Keegan's services at the end of a season in which Fulham, currently top of its division, could win promotion.
The F.A. is expected to make an announcement next week, perhaps on Wednesday, on who will succeed Glenn Hoddle, who was sacked on February 2 for saying disabled people were paying for the sins of a former life.
Geoff Thompson, acting chairman of the F.A., appeared equivocal about Keegan, who is the bookmaker's favorite to become England coach, in an interview in the Daily Telegraph.
He agreed that the presence of the former Newcastle United boss would inspire the England players before the Poland game but appeared to doubt whether Keegan, 48 on Sunday, could handle the pressure of the job.
Asked whether a Keegan era as coach might end in tears rather than trophies, Thompson said: "Yes. You may be right."
Thompson said the F.A. would only turn to a foreign coach if it was "not possible" to appoint an Englishman. He stressed that the integrity of the new coach could well be his most important quality after the Hoddle debacle and the legal storm that swirled around Hoddle's predecessor, Terry Venables.
"He's got to be the best available coach at international level. He's got to be a good man-manager as well," said Thompson.
"And he's got to have integrity. We're under the microscope. You can't have the first two without the third because eventually the third overrides them -- as we've seen in the past.
"How many parts would Keegan fit into? He'd fit into a few, wouldn't he? Kevin Keegan will be a very good candidate but there are many others who could be very good candidates."
Thompson backed up comments by French players after France's 2-0 defeat of England on Wednesday that the English players showed little heart in the second half of the Wembley game.
"I couldn't believe it. The first half they were chasing everything, really wanting to work hard. The second half ... I don't know what happened. I don't know what the team talk was like," he said.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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