LONDON Former England soccer coach Kevin Keegan plans to sue a British Sunday newspaper over allegations of gambling and rifts in his Euro 2000 squad, British newspapers reported on Wednesday. Keegan disappeared from public view after resigning on the night his side lost 1-0 to Germany in their opening qualifier for the 2002 World Cup last month.
But according to British dailies, Keegan has issued a statement through his lawyers saying he "utterly refutes the allegations and is determined to take whatever action may be necessary to defend his name." "A letter has been sent to the news of the world in advance of legal action against the (Sunday) newspaper," they quoted the statement as saying. Keegan has been under fire for allegedly allowing gambling involving huge sums of money in his squad, apparently leading to divisions among the players.
This raised doubts about the team spirit in Keegan's squad, thought to be one of his few strengths as a manager. Football Association chief executive Adam Crozier said one of the jobs of Keegan's successor, Swede Svan Goran Eriksson, would be "to pull it (the squad) together." England failed to qualify for the knockout stages at Euro 2000, played in Belgium and the Netherlands in the summer. But former captain Alan Shearer, one of a number of people who have spoken out in Keegan's defense, denied morale in the England camp was low and said betting did not cause problems.
Eriksson will next year take over an England team who have taken only one point from their two World Cup qualifying games so far.
(Reuter)