Pressure is growing on Kevin Keegan to change his mind about quitting England in the summer and take the job full-time.

Following Saturday's win, the Football Association moved to persuade the part-time coach to stay on beyond his four-game term. And since the Fulham owner, Mohamed Al Fayed, also agreed to release his chief operating officer as "my gift to the nation", Keegan will find it increasingly difficult to say no.

"There might be a solution somewhere," Keegan admitted on Saturday, "but I'm not going to look for that yet because I don't think it's the right time. Who knows in the future? I'm not going to be rude to everybody and say to the England fans `that's it, I don't care'.

"What I'm saying is that we struck a deal, that's what I want to stick to at the moment, and then let's see."

Keegan's uncertainty is exactly what the FA were hoping for. Sources within the FA have revealed their decision to risk criticism by installing him short-term was part of a plan.

They wanted Keegan in situ in any form, hoping that once he tasted life as England coach, he would be hooked. To that end, Saturday's win fitted perfectly into the plan. Keegan, who has long coveted the England job, admitted after the match: "This has been one of the best weeks of my life." It is this budding love affair which, results permitting, the FA hope to capitalise on.

"We're hopeful that there may be a possibility of him staying on," admitted the acting chairman, Geoff Thompson. "If we all think he's the best manager for the job we've all got to try and persuade him. The ideal as far as I'm concerned would be be for him to change his mind. And after a day like today one would think it would make our job easier."

Noel White, the chairman of the FA's international committee, was more circumspect but issued a similar message.

"Persuade would be the wrong word," he said. "We can't twist his arm, but we might be able to tempt him to change his mind with the attitude of the country. I think the fans will be very influential."

So far, Keegan has insisted that he will only stay for four games out of respect for his contract at Fulham, which has a year to run, and the debt he owes Al Fayed, for appointing him, as well as the players and fans for their part in the club's push for promotion from the Second Division.

But Al Fayed released Keegan from any obligation over the weekend when he said: "If the nation wants Kevin, the ordinary person wants Kevin and the FA want Kevin, then I will give him to England, no problem. The nation comes first, the glory of the country and that's the sacrifice we will make at Fulham. Kevin is my gift to the nation."