Kevin Keegan must give England's younger players a chance to rebuild the country's football reputation, according to Football Association chairman Geoff Thompson.

As the inquest continued into England's ignominious early exit from Euro 2000, Thompson said: 'We have to look at the younger players to come into the first team. A lot of the Under-21 players excite me.

'Our youth policy is much better now than it has been for years. We have to look at that being the basis for the future. The Under-21s did remarkably well in their qualifying campaign for their European Championships and we have to take comfort in that fact.'

Though the Under-21s failed to qualify from their group at that tournament, in Slovakia last month, several of the squad have impressed.

Manchester City goalkeeper Nicky Weaver must now be close to Ipswich's Richard Wright in the international pecking order, while several outfield players have been tipped for advancement, including West Ham's Frank Lampard and Joe Cole, Chelsea's Jon Harley and Francis Jeffers of Everton.

Lampard and Aston Villa's Lee Hendrie, together with Gareth Barry and Stephen Gerrard, who were both in Keegan's Euro 2000 squad, have already gained experience at full international level.

But, while few would argue with the notion that some older players, including David Seaman, Tony Adams, Paul Ince and Dennis Wise, may have to be discarded, along with captain Alan Shearer, who has retired from international football, Thompson's remarks will be seen as undermining Keegan's position.

They are an additional endorsement for Howard Wilkinson, the FA's technical director, who was in charge of the England youngsters in the European Under-21 Championship finals.

Peter Taylor was manager of the Under-21s for their successful qualification campaign but was sacked and replaced by Wilkinson for the finals.

England then flopped but Thompson said: 'Although they did not do particularly well in the finals in Slovakia, that was with a weakened side.'

Thompson believes Wilkinson, the former Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday manager, can support Keegan, giving him the help he is perceived to need with tactics.

However, that could lead to a power struggle between the two men.