Football: Keegan - `I'll not quit'

KEVIN KEEGAN has dismissed reports that he will resign as England coach if the national side fails to make an impression at the Euro 2000 finals.

"I want to keep this job for as long as I can," he said. "All I'd suggested was that the team and I needed a good Euro 2000 and we must focus on that rather than the World Cup qualifying games. That is what is in front of me. That's the priority - I've never used the word `quit'."

Keegan insisted that he had no regrets about taking the job - "not for one day". "If I hadn't wanted the job I wouldn't have taken it. I could have stayed at Fulham. I took the England job because I wanted it. I want it even more now. But I am a realist: I know the performances have got to improve under me. I know they will."

Keegan added that England have the players to be a force at the European Championship next year, despite only having qualified via the play-offs.

"Player-wise I think we have enough quality in numbers," he said. "Not massive numbers, but we do have strength in depth."