Newslines

Kevin Keegan is expected to be named England coach today following more extended talks with the Football Association.

Some last-minute hitch could delay the announcement until tomorrow, but it will be a huge surprise if Fulham's chief operating officer has not taken over the reins of the national team by then.

So consuming have Keegan's deliberations been that for the first time in months he has been absent from training at Fulham for two days running, despite the club's crucial home games on Saturday and next Tuesday.

Instead, Keegan has been holed up in his north-east home, staked out by television cameras and other media. From there he spent yesterday in phone discussions with the FA's acting chief executive, David Davies, as they attempted to put the finishing touches to the four-year, £2 million deal being offered.

"Progress is being made," said an FA statement yesterday. "More talks are planned for tomorrow."

The FA International Committee sub-committee met yesterday at lunchtime and spent two hours discussing views and being brought up to date on the latest developments.

This followed Monday's initial meeting between the committee's chairman, Noel White, Davies and Keegan in which the FA's offer was formally made.

The discussions are complex because so many points need ironing out. The committee will want to know whether Keegan is prepared to leave Fulham straightaway or stay on and take the England job part-time until the summer.

For Keegan's part, he will want to know, if he begins the job part-time, whether can he bring in his own coaching team and scouts to check on the form of England players.