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The Latest From England Headquarters And Around Europe

SHEARER: 'JUDGE ME AFTER EURO 2000'
Alan Shearer has asked the public to judge him after the European Championship - and not before - as coach Kevin Keegan warned critics of the England captain: ''We'll miss him when he's gone.''

Shearer, who has failed to score in his past six games for his country, has come under renewed fire following what he admits was an ''indifferent'' display against Malta last weekend. However, reacting to one internet poll in which 72% voted in favour of a strike partnership without the England captain in it, Shearer pointed to the fact that he went 12 competitive games without scoring before Euro 96 - and still finished as leading marksman.

''I had exactly the same before Euro 96 when half the country did not want me to play. But that's life, this is something I have had before and it is something I will have again,'' he said ahead of his final international tournament. It goes with the job. All I ask is for people to judge me after Euro 2000 - not before the tournament.''

Shearer, who revealed that he might have to miss ''a couple of days' training'' due to a slight injury, but would be fine for next Monday's opening group game against Portugal, told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle: ''I did OK against Brazil and Ukraine. I missed two chances against Malta and this is what happens when you have an indifferent game. But it is something you have got to get used to when you play international football.''

The centre-forward, who again insisted there was no intent on his part in the collision which broke the nose of Maltese defender Darren Debono, added: ''The players are feeling good and we are going to Euro 2000 feeling that we can win the competition.''

Keegan, who revealed that he had known his ideal team for the European Championship for a ''long time'', was certainly unflinching in his support of Shearer, who has 28 international goals to his name from 60 appearances. The England coach declared: ''Nothing that I've seen in these last three matches has influenced my opinion about him. He's lived with criticism and people questioning him for so long. It doesn't affect him and he knows that soon he will not have to live with it any more as an international footballer.

''The people who respect him most are those closest to him. When he's gone, we'll miss him. The team comes first. He's a great player and a key player. I'm not naming my team, but if Alan Shearer is fit he will be the captain and centre-forward.''

While Shearer, David Seaman, Tony Adams, David Beckham and Paul Scholes are all certain intended starters in England's opening game, Keegan revealed that - injury permitting - he already knew the other six names. Most of those have become relatively clear over the past three warm-up games, especially with Keegan having indicated that he prefers to field a 4-4-2 formation. Brothers Gary and Phil Neville therefore seem likely to line up as full-backs, with Paul Ince in central midfield and Michael Owen partnering Shearer up front.

The two major selection dilemmas which Keegan would appear to have faced seem to surround Adams' partner in central defence - Sol Campbell or Martin Keown - and the potential saviour to the well-documented left-sided conundrum. Everton midfielder Nick Barmby certainly did much to impress the England coach with his displays against Ukraine - as a substitute - and Malta on his return to the squad after a lengthy absence. However, given that Keegan has known his intended team for some time, it would appear to indicate that the battle to play on the left side of midfield in the opening game has actually been between Dennis Wise and Steve McManaman.

Keegan said: ''I know my team. If everyone is fit - and they are at the moment - I know the 11 players who will start against Portugal. I've had it in my head for a long time, my ideal team, although had we been playing Portugal last Saturday, Tony Adams wouldn't have been able to play. He really was unwell.

''Yes, I do favour 4-4-2, you know that. But I've looked at everything, especially in these last three matches. I've looked at systems and players. I will not be naming any team or formation publicly until just before each kick-off. This is a major tournament and I can't give anything away.''

England's immediate build-up to the tournament has wavered between the high of the 2-0 win against Ukraine, the equal strengths and weaknesses revealed in the draw against Brazil and the low of the flawed 2-1 victory in Malta. However, Keegan insisted: ''The build-up to the championships has been good and I wouldn't change a thing. I'm ready to go. So are the players and that's what's important. Excited is the word - the prospect of what we are going to do, what success we can bring, and when and where it will end.''

The England coach, who drove back to the North-East after flying from Malta, arriving at about 2.30am on Sunday, added: ''I've spent the two days at home relaxing. I even fell asleep in a chair and that hasn't happened for a long time. It was also my daughter's birthday and we were able to celebrate that. So I've enjoyed the two days off, despite Malta. It could've gone better, we all know that. But we wanted a test and we got one.

''The criticism could've been worse. In the dressing-room, I said to the players: 'I'm not going to start throwing tea cups and shouting at you.' One of them replied: 'It's just that we're ready for the tournament.' I said: 'That's where we'll end it, then. That's a good point to end on.'

''We were ready for the championships after Ukraine but I still got plusses out of Malta. The players are ready, I'm ready, the country is ready and we're looking forward to it. Now we want to get going.''


PHILLIPS: 'KEEGAN ALWAYS KEEPS IT COOL'
Kevin Phillips has revealed that he has never seen England coach Kevin Keegan lose his cool - even after the kind of below-par performance produced in Malta on Saturday.

The striker claimed that Keegan adopts a "low-key" approach in the dressing room, even though he feels players sometimes need a verbal kick up the backside. His comments are surprising given that Keegan has admitted expressing disapproval on several occasions to players at half-time, including West Ham's Frank Lampard on his debut against Belgium in October.

Phillips played in that game at the Stadium of Light and might have himself anticipated a tongue-lashing after being guilty of a glaring miss against Malta. He took the ball around Maltese keeper Ernest Barry but then inexplicably shot into the side-netting when his first England goal seemed inevitable. But he insisted: "Not since I've been involved with England have I seen him fly off the handle. I don't think that is the way he is.

"It is all more low-key when maybe sometimes a kick up the backside for the players is what you need. No-one is a hard man, not even Arthur Cox." Phillips insists that the glaring miss that cost him the chance to open his goal account with his country will not dent his confidence going into Euro 2000.

He said: "I was disappointed not to hit the back of the net. It was my best chance since I've been playing in an England shirt. But that miss does not dent my confidence in front of goal - and I've proved that all season. I've missed many a chance this season, but you've got to wipe them out of your system. If you start worrying about chances you're going to miss then you'll never score. I'm not like that. If I get another chance like that I will bury it. If I'm called upon in Euro 2000 and get the same opportunity then I will take it.

"You have good and bad spells and I'm a confident lad and I'll get on with the business. I also know that playing for a team like England and my team (Sunderland) last season that I will get more chances coming my way."

Phillips is keeping his fingers crossed that he will play some part in Euro 2000, although he appears to be behind Alan Shearer, Michael Owen and Emile Heskey in the pecking order.

By his own admission he is delighted to even have the chance to stake a claim after fearing he would miss out on the final 22. He said: "I think it was blown a bit out of proportion when it was said I was terrified about not making the squad. But I admit I was starting to wonder - and the players on the fringe were the same as me. Maybe it was wrong of me to come out and say that, but that's the way I felt.

"I hope I've got a chance of being involved. I am sure the manager has got in his mind who he wants to play and anything can happen. I've just got to stay focused and prepared for it if the chance comes along."

Phillips has started just three games for England, spanning 14 months, and he does admit that a run of matches would be beneficial - although the chances of that happening in the imminent future look remote. He said: "The system I come into for England is different than for Sunderland. I'm playing directly off the big man (Niall Quinn) at Sunderland and running into channels. With England I've got to come short and hold the ball up more, which probably isn't the strongest part of my game but I've got to get on with it. It's a different kind of system.

"It's not a major change, but it's something I've got to add to my game. I'm proud and enjoy playing for England, but maybe I need a little run."

Phillips insisted: "We will definitely go to Euro 2000 with a lot of confidence. We know if we play like we did against Malta then we will be going home early. But it will be totally different come June 12 when we play Portugal and the lads will definitely put in a good performance."


LINEKER WRITES OFF ENGLAND CHANCES
Gary Lineker has written off England's chances of winning England's Euro 2000. The former England striker believes Kevin Keegan's men will struggle to match the quality of their European rivals.

Lineker said: ''We struggled to qualify for the tournament and only made it through the back door after a poor performance against Scotland at Wembley. If we reproduce the form we showed against the Ukraine, we have an outside chance but no more. We are one of about ten countries who could win it, but I think Holland and Belgium have a big home advantage.''

Lineker believes that of the other sides, France will be the team to beat this summer. ''France have retained the squad which won the World Cup in 1998. They have now added to the team the one thing that they were missing at the last World Cup, a goalscorer,'' he added. ''David Trezeguet and Thierry Henry can I believe, score the goals which could help France lift the trophy.''

Lineker, the second-highest goalscorer in England history, backed Michael Owen to cement his place in the side. ''Michael has pace which can trouble defenders, hopefully he will have a good tournament. England need David Beckham to fulfil his potential but I believe the quality of Patrick Kluivert for the Dutch and Henry for France will mean England cannot win this summer's tournament.''

French star David Ginola backed up Lineker saying: ''I believe France are the quality side in the competition. People may, however, be surprised by the standard of lesser teams who could progress to the latter stages, such as Spain and Turkey,'' he said. "I'm looking forward to watching my club-mate Sol Campbell, hopefully he can have a great tournament.''

Lineker and Ginola were speaking after a Downing Street launch of a Government campaign to prevent supporters bringing back illegal drugs following the European Championship.


REFS TO ADOPT LOW-KEY APPROACH AT EURO 2000
Scottish referee Hugh Dallas believes officials will take a backseat during Euro 2000 and let the players take the limelight.

The men in the middle have been under strict instructions from the game's governing bodies to get tougher before the World Cup and European Championship in the past years. But just four days before the start of Euro 2000, co-hosted by Holland and Belgium, the referees themselves called for leniency from UEFA which will take them out of the firing line and thrust the stars into the spotlight.

Dallas, who will be among the 12 selected referees on duty, told Scot FM: ''The referees won't be any tougher than they normally are at this level. What we did ask for was that there weren't any hard and fast guidelines that come out like they normally do, and this was taken on board by UEFA.

''So hopefully it will be a low-key approach from the referees. But there are guidelines set out for the 16 nations, and they would have been given a video and instructions on what the referees will be looking for.''


KEEPER-CAPTAIN FIT FOR PORTUGAL
Portugal are confident captain and first-choice goalkeeper Vitor Baia will be fit to face England in Eindhoven next Monday. Baia has only played two games since March because of a knee injury, and he was hardly tested in last week's 3-0 friendly victory over Wales.

But after the squad's first training session since arriving in Holland for Euro 2000, assistant coach Rui Cacador confirmed: "Happily Vitor Baia is fully recovered. He'll have special training with the medical staff in the mornings, and will train with the squad in the afternoons." Cacador also revealed playmaker Paulo Sousa was fully fit after missing the Wales game.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese have no fears about playing England, according to Cacador. "We are as much the favourites as England, that's how we have to approach this game." But he admitted that Kevin Keegan's squad "are more technically astute now, with players from a new generation".

Benfica striker Nuno Gomes added: "We know how the English defence works. Many Portuguese defenders play in the same style, so I'm used to it."


WESTERVELD TO PLAY THROUGH PAIN BARRIER
Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld will play through the pain barrier in an effort to remain in contention for a place in Holland's line-up for Euro 2000. An ankle injury failed to keep the 25-year-old out of the team which met Switzerland in Lausanne last Wednesday, and he has been training hard in order to impress Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard.

''My ankle hasn't prevented me from training hard,'' he said. ''I feel great apart from my ankle which is still troubling me. I still need strapping and treatment on it. I suppose it really needs rest so all the blood can get out of it, but Euro 2000 makes that impossible.

''I've got a couple of weeks off at the end of the tournament, so I will rest it then and things should be perfect by the time pre-season training with Liverpool starts.'' Westerveld must dislodge first choice keeper Edwin van der Saar if he is to play in Euro 2000.


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News 3
Wednesday 07 June 2000

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