Euro 2000
21/05/12
21:40
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EURO 2000 ENGLAND

ENGLAND

Best finals record:
Semi-finals 1968,1996

Qualification record:
Qualified through play-offs


David Beckham

Coach: Kevin Keegan

Squad: David Seaman, Nigel Martyn, Richard Wright, David James, Kieron Dyer, Phil Neville, Gary Neville, Sol Campbell, Gareth Southgate, Rio Ferdinand, Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Gareth Barry, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Redknapp, Ray Parlour, Paul Ince, Dennis Wise, Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Steve McManaman, Nick Barmby, Alan Shearer, Robbie Fowler, Emile Heskey, Andy Cole, Michael Owen, Kevin Phillips.

Prospects

England enjoyed a rollercoaster ride to the Euro 2000 finals.

They snatched a place in Belgium and Holland with a play-off success against old enemies Scotland.

But en route to that victory were notable wins and some disastrous displays, topped off by the sacking of Glenn Hoddle.

He left the post after three qualifying matches, following his alleged newspaper comments about the disabled.

Up to that point a disastrous defeat in Stockholm was followed by a dull draw at home to Bulgaria.

The only success came with a predictable 3-0 victory in Luxembourg.

Kevin Keegan replaced Hoddle amid much national fervour and expectation.

The new England coach needed to start with a win over the Poles at Wembley.

And a Paul Scholes hat-trick earned them a vital 3-1 success.

Scholes went quickly from hero to villain in the next match however, a disappointing home stalemate with the Swedes.

Four days later another draw, this time in Bulgaria, left England in big trouble.

They beat Luxembourg again at Wembley, but the failure to see off Poland in Warsaw took destiny out of their own hands.

Keegan prayed for Sweden to beat the Poles to keep England alive, and they did just that.

Europe gasped when Scotland came out of the hat to meet England in the play-offs.

Hampden and a huge confrontation awaited, but two Scholes goals gave England a fantastic 2-0 first-leg victory.

But four days later they just scraped into the finals, losing to a solitary Don Hutchison goal in the second leg at Wembley.

Keegan undoubtedly has some quality players at his disposal - David Beckham, Michael Owen, Sol Campbell and Alan Shearer to name just four.

But their under-achievement at international level shows that the strength of the Premiership is more down to foreign imports.

Winning the tournament is probably out of England's reach, but a respectable showing would answer the knockers.



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