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Going with the heart Keegan expects to take England job full time
Posted: Friday May 07, 1999 11:00 AM
LONDON (AP) -- Kevin Keegan says he expects to leave division-two Fulham, admitting he's "got the bug" to take over as England's full-time soccer coach. Keegan, who steered the Mohamed Al Fayed-owned Fulham into division one next season, told ITV's The Sports Show that it's not feasible to combine both jobs. "I think the way it's going, it possibly will be a clean break [with Fulham]," Keegan said. "I think what we've got to get back to is that you can't do the two jobs, that's what I've found, otherwise you jeopardize both parties and that includes Fulham." The former England international initially agreed to take the England job on a short-term, part-time basis while continuing as Fulham manager. But after England's 1-1 tie with Hungary last week, his second match as national coach after debuting with a 3-1 Euro 2000 qualifying win over Poland at Wembley, he said he was negotiating to continue as England coach. Keegan said his main priority for Fulham -- after being persuaded to sign a four-match contract with the Football Association when Glenn Hoddle was fired earlier this year -- was to win promotion. "If I had gone straight away and taken the England job with 12 games left for Fulham and Fulham hadn't got promoted, that would have been the biggest disservice that I could have done to Fulham and the players and the fans," he said. "I stuck with it, I said I didn't want to go, I wanted to take [the England role] part-time. "But having had it for two games, my heart tells me to take it and if the Fulham fans do not understand that, and I'm sure there will be plenty who don't, then I have to say to them well I'm sorry, that is the way I feel." Keegan's decision to quit the club was the second blow this week for Fulham and Harrods' owner Al Fayed, who had his application for a British passport rejected by the government on Thursday.
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