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Saturday, 7 October, 2000, 16:07 GMT 17:07 UK
Was Keegan right to go?
Kevin Keegan has resigned after England's World Cup defeat against Germany.
But, with another qualifier just four days away, is it the right decision for English football?
Admittedly the pressure had been building on Keegan since his side made an ignominious exit from Euro 2000, and his overall record was poor.
But Keegan is known as a passionate man who wears his heart on his sleeve, so have his emotions just got the better of him?
And even if Keegan felt he was not up to the job, as he himself admitted, should he have at least waited until after the Finland game?
I think it's the British Media & public who should be held responsible for the state of English football. How could anyone put up with the intense pressure that is put upon them by the press, they wanted Keegan in and as soon as we loose they want him out. Maybe he wasn't the right person for the job, but it would be good to see the whole of England get behind the next Manager and do our bit to help them. At the very least we need some consistency!
I've noticed a few comments wondering why Keegan was given the position in the first place. It's my belief that the popular press (particularly the tabloids) put him there, but these people don't know anything more about football management than the rest of us. It took a lot of courage for keegan to (rightly)admit that he wasn't good enough and I admire and respect his honesty and integrity. Good luck to him with his next challenge, whatever it is.
I respect Kevin Keegan for his honesty. I don't know how many people would have admitted that they had limits. I think Kev did OK as England boss. The players are also to blame here as I think with all the money they get paid, asking them to play in a different position should not be a problem. David Beckham, Andy Cole and Paul Scholes can be proud of themselves for their effort. as for who will take over, I would like to see a young guy (maybe Bryan Robson/Alan Shearer) to take the role as understudy to either Terry Venables or Bobby Robson. Give this 2 years and then bring the new guy up and release Terry/Bobby. I think experience counts at that level. Whatever happens, I hope England qualify!
Its time for a total re-think and a longer term strategy. We must appoint a manager and a deputy, who will be groomed to take over when he has enough experience of international
football. Venables and Peter Taylor would be ideal. Second, we need to bring on the younger players (Joe Cole, Smith, Gerrard, Ferdinand) and get them playing to a consistent system that (a) they understand and (b) is flexible enough to be tweaked as the match progresses. The mid-field is key, so 3-5-2 should be the norm. Finally, we should give the team time to grow together, even if it means missing qualification this time around. Personally, I am fed up with going into tournaments knowing that there will eventually be a match where England's current failings will be cruelly exposed by a supposedly weaker team (like Romania and Portugal this summer). Its embarrassing!
I think the media in general and the BBC in particular need to take a critical look at themselves. The level of expectation they put upon the England coach in the name of England supporters is grossly unfair. England are a mediocre side whose whole never equals the sum of its parts. The result against Germany, the second or third most successful nation in world football, was only a surprise to those taken in by the over-the-top preparation for the game foisted upon us by the BBC. Now England have lost another manager in a manner that will make getting an adequate replacement an almost impossible task. When will the BBC learn that endless repeats of 1966 only serve to increase the pressure on someone who will probably never emulate the feats of Ramsey, unless of course, the English FA manage to host the Tournament again.
No it wasn't the correct time for Keegan to go not until after the immediate qualifying rounds had been completed, and heavens for bid to allow Wilkinson to take over as caretaker in the meantime is an absolute disaster & a disgrace. For him to immediately bring back geriatric Sherringham at the expense of Owen defies any logic whatsoever this once again proves what poor shape England's management is in
Keegan should have quit after Euro 2000. The teams shape was totally wrong throughout his reign because he didn't play to the teams strengths. Venables needs to come back and bring football home again.
A gentleman regardless of the result. The sign of a Professional.
The resignation- totally honourable. The English football team- totally without ability. The English style of football-totally boring. The answer: Wake up those in charge and for once, just once, start planning long term, encourage individual ball skills, cut down the number of league games in a season, extend national team training, give an England shirt to those who REALLY want to play for their country. Make some CHANGES to the set up.
As one of the only true and original 'kopites' who followed Keegans career with total admiration throughout (have also read all of his books and followed his 7 years golfing vacation in Spain). I loved that guy for what he achieved, but I was totally disgusted with the manner in which he dumped 'our' England team. If your invited comments were only to say that "Kev. was a great guy and let's wish him all the best" then you should have said so. I however am a real person of the same age as King Kev. If his 'mentor' Bill Shankly were ever to witness what happened last Saturday (God rest his soul) then he would be 'turning in his grave' .... shame on you Kevin.
I can't believe that the possibility of an England defeat on Saturday wasn't discussed in advance with Kevin and the FA and that Kevin should have been assured of the FA's support and confidence, surely no one can believe that success can be achieved overnight and no amount of managers, foreign, or otherwise can change that, I firmly believe that Kevin , in time, would have achieved the success we all want, now its turmoil again, the FA need to accept responsibility and convince Kevin to reconsider.
All credit to Keegan for having the courage to go when he felt that he could no longer do the job but the question that must be asked is why did the FA employ him in the first place? Keegan's tactical naivety was well known before he became England manager so the real blame must lie with those at Lancaster Gate. Terry Venables is both the obvious replacement and the man the fans want to see but I'm not sure if he will be willing to take the job again after what happened last time. Venables aside most other English managers also have a lack of tactical knowledge so I fear that it may be time to look overseas for a foreign coach.
I have loved Kevin Keegan since I watched his debut for Liverpool from the Kop. He was never the greatest artist I ever saw but you could never fault his effort and commitment. Many years later he brought these same qualities to the England job but they were not enough. It appears that at this level you need to be an artist and be able to fashion something special from the raw materials you are given to work with. In the end Kevin Keegan, much as I wanted him to succeed, couldn't work the magic. However we have one fellow who can and he has already shown us the proof not too long ago. We don't need to look to a foreigner, though I have no particular problems with the notion, as we have Terry Venables who would and could do it all over again if the internal politics will only allow it.
It seems a shame that Kevin Keegan has resigned, blaming himself. The media in this country hypes someone up, only to knock him or her down when times are not going well. People should realise that this guy is only human and has done his very best for the country.
Now Keegan has gone England should stop employing celebrity managers and give the job to Peter Taylor. His success with the U21 team was outstanding, and they are the players who will bring us success in the next World Cup and Euro 2004.
Keegan wasn't out there kicking the ball.The bulk of this team lost in Euro 2000 and managed to get away with a draw from a half paced France. Wake up selectors, dare to put a team on the paddock that is exciting and different.Who ever comes after Keegan will suffer the same fate if left with this team.
Peter Haslett, Australia
It has to be Lippi.
Keegan is honourable and hat's off to him but it has to be said that he was never really up to the job. He galvanised the country for a short while after his appointment but it didn't take long to see that if anything had changed, it was not necessarily for the better. Seems to me for all his faults, Glenn Hoddle had the team playing as a more effective unit. You just can't help feeling that England are now a has been soccer power with no where to turn except outside of the country for some guile and tactical acumen. Here's hoping the FA gets it right this time but you'd be a brave person to bet on it.
This has got to be the right decision if Keegan has no confidence in his own ability how many of the players have noticed this and how has it affected their performance? It would be nice to think that we are not going to use the excuse of Keegan's departure as an excuse for failure against Finland. If this is the case these highly paid professionals should take a good look in the mirror and ask themselves if they are good enough to pull on the three lions.
Keegan's decision to quit was a knee-jerk reaction based on a poor result against the Germans today. He should have stayed for the Finland game and then - if he still felt the same way - then quit. All credit goes to him for having the courage to admit his failings and giving the lads a chance of qualification under a new coach. But he should have waited a few more days before making the announcement! I fear the worst on Wednesday with Howard Wilkinson in charge.
Richard Austin, England
It seems strange that it was only Keegan who resigned. After today there should be a lot of highly paid footballers looking at themselves and considering how much of Keegan quitting was their fault. If I remember correctly David Ginola has not played for his country since he put one pass out of place, maybe we should have the same policy!
I respect Keegan for quitting before it was too late because it has been apparent for over a year now that Keegan was out of his depth tactically. England's performance in Euro 2000 was abysmal and we didn't even deserve to be there after being outclassed by Scotland in the playoffs. What was the FA thinking from the start? Venables was available to take over from Hoddle, but because of Noel White in the FA, a tactically naive manager was selected instead. The FA claimed that by selecting Venables they would be "looking backwards". Venables was spot on when he countered "if we don't pick the right man England will go backwards a long way".
I don't think he should have resigned at this stage in the World Cup, without an obvious English successor. Even if you don't agree with every decision he has made as manager, you have to agree that he is well liked and respected by the players, and has inspired them. He should have continued right through the World Cup.
Yes, it's time for him to go. I admired Keegan as a player, although his qualities were always those of the dogged fighter rather than as a player of real class. As a manager, however, he has always been cavalier in his approach to tactics, and has shown himself to be a quitter when the going gets tough. Terry Venables is the obvious choice; Peter Taylor a possibility, Bobby Robson a nice thought but too old, Glen Hoddle a good choice but not yet politically rehabilitated.
David Marriott, Canada
Is now not the ideal time to bite the bullet and appoint a coach based on their tactical rather than motivational abilities. If a player needs to be motivated to play for their country, why pick them?
Lippi is now available and has won all there is to win in club football, playing imaginative and interesting football along the way. I, for one, would be more than happy to see him appointed.
I'm shocked by his announcement but it's definitely the right decision. The only question is who will take over?
Yes I agree he is right to leave. Obviously he should have timed it better. Like in the summer after Euro 2000. You won't get a better gentleman than him but as a coach he's showed he is tactically very naive. Still, he was man enough to admit he wasn't up to it, though a bit late in the day. Maybe it's time England appoint a foreign coach.
When will everyone finally admit the fact that the root of the problem in English football is not the manager, or the team, or the tactics but the very style of English football itself. We ought to learn how to pass, keep possession, and improve our technical skills. The fact is that despite the number of foreign players we now have, the style of the Premier League does not translate well to the international level. My advice would be to go and learn from the technical sides of the world like Portugal. They at least know how to work as a unit and not as a collection of individuals!
Michael Smith, UK
Full marks to Kevin Keegan. When was the last time any manager of England had the dignity to resign with such honour and integrity? Kevin, you may not have brought us the results but you have shown the nation how to behave. Hopefully your successor will have better luck but if not, the least we can hope is that he will have similar integrity.
The Italians delayed the start of their season by a month so their under twenty-one squad could take part in the Olympic games. It is this kind of mentality that the English should follow. The England job is an impossible task, and Keegan cannot be blamed for the disappointing results. The FA needs to look at the whole spectrum.
Kevin Keegan has been a hero of mine since I was 5 and will remain so. However, I think after Euro 2000 and today's result, he has shown again his tactical deficiencies. While a fantastic man, player and motivator, these attributes will not make England a dominant force in World football. I have just seen Terry Venables on the TV and he obviously wants the job but is waiting for the call from the FA. The FA now needs to swallow their pride, put everything to rest and reinstate Tel. I wish Kevin Keegan the Best of luck with whatever he does in the future & I look forward to 3 points on Wednesday!
Keegan should never have been chosen in the first place. The past three decades have been shambolic for the England team, despite having some good players out there. It's time the FA bit the bullet and appointed a foreign coach.
Mark Innocenzi, Austria
Glenn Hoddle was just getting a handle on things when he was forced out. The whole set of circumstances surrounding Hoddle's departure and subsequent haste in Keegan were just not right. The national team is different from a club team. There needs to be far more forethought, planning and long-term vision for the pride of the country. Hopefully now the FA will realise that and put into place the means necessary to achieve the goals that the English people have for them. It's never too late to begin from scratch. Better late than never!
Kevin Keegan's departure is sad but inevitable; yet also an honourable decision. It was the right thing to do. There is only one man that the public would now support - Terry Venables. He's got the flair and the experience. Come on FA: do it.
My respect for Keegan has just gone up 100%. I don't think I've ever seen any kind of national figure be so honest about their personal failings. I think he's right about not being quite good enough and I think with the right manager this England team could do well but there aren't any obvious candidates for the job (other than two former England managers).
I don't believe that Kevin Keegan was up to the England managers' job as he is tactically naive. However I think that it was wrong for him to resign just a few days away from a very important World Cup qualifier. Obviously Terry Venables was and still is the best coach in England and should be given the job immediately, but I can't see the FA offering him the job and it will therefore be left to Howard Wilkinson to pick up the pieces. Howard is a nice guy and a good organiser but he doesn't have the charisma or motivation skills to lift a dejected England team.
Clive Dodd, England
Poor manager, poor team, poor result. Come back Terry all is forgiven.
Let's face it, Kevin Keegan didn't learn the lessons from Euro2000. He persisted in playing elder players instead of trying to break in younger, more promising blood. He was too in awe of another generation of fading stars. Now he's gone, England may have a slight chance of qualifying for the World Cup. With him in charge, it would have been impossible.
Don't blame Keegan, he did his best. He should never have been given the job in the first place, when will the FA realise we need a foreign coach.
I personally don't think Kevin Keegan should have gone. I think he has been a good manager/coach but he has gone and we'll have to get on with it. All the best Kev and Thanks!
Steven Edgar, England
Kevin Keegan is an honourable man. He knew that all the papers would have condemned him and his team. To the last he praised his players and resigned to take the blame. England weren't good enough. It wasn't Keegan's fault. It was time to go
Keegan has quit which is sad but on balance he has made the correct decision for the national team. As a coach he has never displayed the same flair as he did as a player. Witness the policy of sticking with players who are long past their best at the international level. In recent matches there have been many examples of this point, the latest being the goal Seaman let in at Wembley today. England has a tendency not to encourage younger players which keeps them always years behind teams such as Italy, Spain and Portugal who are much more progressive. England needs a coach who realises that, and has the character to stand up to powers that be at the FA.
It's not Kevin Keegans' fault that England lost today, the players and the FA must take the blame. The players because they were pathetic, they didn't compete until it was too late and the FA because they don't raise the profile or contribute enough to the potential of youth football in England.
Keegan has resigned because he now knows that he can't motivate the England players. Keegan has put his family first rather than put them through the probable levels of abuse that would surely have followed and that is admirable.
Bring back Terry Venables, at least he could motivate the players, he was tactically aware and he had the country as a whole behind him, we can't even think of bringing in a foreign manager.
In all fairness to England, Kevin Keegan should have resigned after their early departure from Euro 2000. There were national managers that progressed much further at Euro 2000 than England. They tendered their resignation upon their teams' failure to win. Keegan was a great player and is obviously a nice man. Unfortunately, he is from the old school of football thinking and that doesn't hold for the modern game. The thinking that England has to have an English manager is outdated. England needs to look abroad for an inventive, creative talented man with vision. England now find themselves lost in international football wilderness with no direction home.
Tony McGuiness, USA
Bring back Terry Venables, experience, and a firm manager is what's needed now.
Something needs to be done at the grass level of the team, to ensure the team plays better together. I'd personally like to see Terry Venables take them to the World Cup.
I honestly can not believe that Keegan has quit. He is the only manager in my view that can bring glory back to England.
Although the performance was poor today, particularly in the first half, it is a sad reflection on English football that Keegan has resigned so early on. Watching the game today and hearing the crowd boo the German National Anthem sums up the state of the nation's football status. I feel that Keegan has left a sinking ship and has not got the spine to stick at the job he was appointed to do. Where do we go from here? I think the answer has to be a large slice of humble pie and a complete re-think of grass roots football, especially in our schools.
Tim Webb, UK
Keegan should have gone after Euro 2000. He is a poor manager.
Kevin Keegan was the best England manger the FA were willing to employ, bearing in mind they will not employ a foreign coach, not the BEST man for the job, namely Terry Venables. In that situation, I can see why Keegan feels he shouldn't stay and take the abuse he is going to get due to the teams lack of ability at this level. For once the current England Manger has made the right decision on personal and professional grounds. The team under Keegan has really not developed, if anything it has gone backwards. Euro 2000 really exposed both the ability of the team and the naivety of the England tactics.
Lets hope the FA swallow their pride and employ Terry Venables.
King Kev shouldn't shoulder all the blame. It's the players who are supposed to do a good job on the pitch and unfortunately they failed to deliver. There's no doubt that Keegan is a good manager/coach and perhaps he's right that he doesn't have that 'extra' winning punch. The whole English squad should shoulder the defeat to the Germans and not on one man alone. Whatever Keegan ventures from now on, I wish him good luck and there can be only one King Kev!
07 Oct 00 | World Cup 2002
England's sad farewell
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