Football: Keegan worry over Hungary

KEVIN KEEGAN is concerned about England playing a friendly against Hungary as the Premiership clubs move into the final stages of the fight for honours. The England coach, who is due to lead the national team out against Hungary on 28 April, said: "I've got my doubts about whether England should be playing a friendly at that time. I have to be honest and that's me wearing my Premiership managers' hat.

"They are all coming to the vital stage of the season where they are playing for massive prizes and trying to win trophies they may never get the chance to win again and we say well we'll take these four players and don't worry they might come back OK, they might be injured. That's a difficult one."

Keegan still will not commit himself to England full time, but refuses to rule out the possibility of carrying on as manager on a part-time basis.

"There may be a possibility for it to go on. That might not suit the FA, it might not suit the media in this country, it might not suit Fulham. I don't see why after one game we have to start making major decisions about the next three years, Euro 2000 and the World Cup. I think it is an overreaction, I really do. If I don't think I can do it I won't. I honestly will just walk away."

England appeared consigned to an early exit from the World Youth Championship after losing 1-0 to Cameroon in their Group E round one match in Kano, Nigeria, yesterday.

The English under-20 team, who lost 1-0 to the United States in their opening match on Monday and currently lie bottom of their group, were beaten by a 64th-minute goal from Gaspard Komol.

Cameroon top the group with six points, while the United States and Japan were meeting last night.

The top two teams from each group will go through to the second round of the three-week championship along with the best two third-placed teams.