Keegan quits as England coach

Kevin Keegan resigned as England coach, saying he was "not good enough" to do the job following his team's 1-0 defeat to Germany at Wembley stadium in their opening 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying match. On a day already charged with emotion for the last match to be staged under Wembley's Twin Towers, Keegan's resignation in the dressing room moments after his team lost was the final dramatic act played out at the stadium in its 77-year history.

Unhappy end
"I've told the players it's my last game," Keegan told a news conference. "I'm really disappointed to leave them, they're a great set of players. It's not an easy decision...but I feel I fall short of what is required in this massive job. I've got to be truthful to myself.

"Our first half performance today left a lot to be desired and although I knew things were going wrong, I just couldn't think of what to do to put it right."
Keegan has long been part of Wembley's story: for his two goals in Liverpool FC's 1974 FA Cup final victory over Newcastle United FC and his famous joint sending-off with Billy Bremner in the Charity Shield later that year when he ripped his shirt off on the way to the dressing room. But few expected him to make an even more dramatic exit this time. Keegan, 49, had been in charge since February 1999 and his 18 matches produced seven wins, seven draws and four defeats.

Failings
"After Euro 2000 I took a lot of criticism for what happened there, some of it justified, and I thought that I could take the job a stage further," Keegan said. "But this was a disaster for me losing today and I am not sure I am the man to take it to the next stage. I think that's for someone else. The fans helped get me this job and have always been very supportive, but today the fans told me it was time to go. I feel that the players are good enough, but that we have under-achieved. I regret that I have not been more successful. This is a massive job and I have loved it but it is time for me to go and spend some more time with my family and consider my future in the game."

Disappointed
FA chief executive Adam Crozier said he tried to dissuade Keegan from quitting after he called him into the England dressing room soon after the match.
"I am very, very disappointed, Kevin has been excellent despite the results and he thought we had turned the corner after we drew 1-1 with France in Paris last month," he said. "I tried to talk him out of leaving but he just feels he cannot take the England team any further."
Keegan took over as England coach on February 17, 1999 initially for only four matches, but he quickly agreed to take the job permanently and did well to steer England into the finals of EURO 2000™ after they had made a poor start to the qualifying campaign under former coach Glenn Hoddle. But England disappointed in the finals, losing 3-2 to Portugal after holding a 2-0 lead, before beating Germany 1-0. But they were eliminated in the First Round after surrendering a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2 to Romania.

Successful
Before managing England he had relatively successful spells coaching Newcastle United FC and Fulham FC and before that had a highly successful playing career in the 1970s. Twice he was named European Footballer of the Year and won major honours with Liverpool FC and Hamburger SV before playing for Southampton FC and Newcastle. He retired as a player in the early 1980s.
His sudden departure as England boss follows a pattern of impulsive decisions throughout his career and leaves England facing an uncertain future just as their qualifying campaign to reach the 2002 FIFA World Cup finals gets underway.