Kevin Keegan's biggest victory at Hampden Park on Saturday involved more than beating Scotland. The England coach will now go into tomorrow's second leg of this European Championship qualifying play-off knowing he has won the respect of the squad both for his man-management and for his tactical acumen.
The first is hardly a surprise - Keegan always did get on with people - but ever since he took over the England team from Glenn Hoddle there have been doubts among some critics about his ability to cope with the subtler demands of international team management. It is one thing to lead the cheering, quite another to organise the human chess game that modern football often becomes.
For the moment, however, the people who really matter, the players, are ready to put their trust in Keegan's judgment. Saturday's 2-0 win has done much to re-establish the bond between squad and coach that fractured under Hoddle last season and had, even under Keegan, undergone only a temporary repair.
Should Scotland defy all logic and beat England by three goals at Wembley tomorrow the present healthy relationship may yet develop a touch of the ague. But so unlikely is this eventuality that even now Keegan is entitled to look forward to a milder winter than seemed possible when insipid draws in Poland and Bulgaria had left England's fate to be decided by the Swedes.
Certainly yesterday's (mon) warm afterglow in the England camp offered a sharp contrast to the tales that were being told 13 months ago after the 3-0 win in Luxembourg. Then a press report suggested that Hoddle's tactics had been questioned by his captain, Alan Shearer.
Shearer, who played under Keegan for Newcastle United, believes he has established the spirit of togetherness that all England managers strive to achieve in qualifying for major tournaments. "He gets on with everyone," he said, "and he treats everyone with respect."
On the brink of qualifying for Euro 2000, Keegan is more content than ever to be his own man. "There is a temptation, when you take a job like this, to change because you think that's what you've got to do," he said yesterday, "but I've resisted that temptation because I do not think it would be me.
"I do not need massive coaching manuals to work with these players; I can do it a different way. I can do it with Tony Adams and Alan Shearer and other experienced players, like Sol Campbell. I can let them help me set up the team. That is my way."
Apart from David Seaman, who is nursing a bruised calf that kept him out of training yesterday, Keegan's squad is all fit for tomorrow.
In the opposite camp, Craig Brown may have to do without midfielder Don Hutchison. The Everton man missed training yesterday with a calf strain and is rated by Brown as "60-40" to make the crucial showdown.
It is another big blow for Brown who is already without the suspended Kevin Gallacher. Hearts midfielder Colin Cameron would be favourite to take his place if he fails to make it.
