It is impossible to resist the notion that with a coach possessing even a modicum of tactical appreciation, it might have been England through to the final four of Euro 2000.

The inexplicable blunderings of Kevin Keegan were further highlighted on Saturday night by the unruffled advance of an uninspiring Italy team beyond a nondescript Romania.

Remember, there was a much lesser level of expectancy heaped on the Italians than on England in this tournament. And even as Keegan's embarrassment fades from the forefront of attention, the irritation of what might have been will fester for some time to come.

As Dino Zoff's Italy demonstrated, a coach with a grasp of the basic rudiments of tactical acumen should set up a side to see off the Romanians.

The current crop is far from Italy's finest but in exerting an iron grip on the midfield, the platform was established for exploiting Romania's dodgy defence.

Dorinel Munteanu, the diminutive No 8 who resembled an intoxicating combination of Johnny Giles and Paul Gascoigne as he dominated the game against England on Tuesday night in Charleroi, barely had a look in.

Afforded precious little time and room in which to manoeuvre, Munteanu surrendered the playmaker role to Gheorghe Hagi, who was returning after missing the England romp through suspension.

Even as a 35-year-old veteran, the once highly celebrated Hagi is still capable of causing a problem or two. And he succeeded in catching the Italians on the hop with a smart volley executed by his 'wrong' right foot in the 33rd minute which rebounded off the inside of a post.

Alas, this tempestuous Romanian also remains capable of completely losing his cool, just as he did in Galatasaray's UEFA Cup triumph over Arsenal when he tangled with Tony Adams and was sent off.

On the hour in Brussels' King Baudouin Stadium, he was judged to have dived theatrically when challenged by Gianluca Zambrotta.

He received a yellow card to add to a caution administered minutes earlier for an over-the-top challenge on Antonio Conte, which had resulted in the Italian being carried off on a stretcher.

So Hagi left the pitch early and, in all probability, terminated his illustrious international career with an amazing tantrum.

Any lingering hopes harboured by Romania at that stage of hitting Italy with a two-goal second-half salvo, as they had succeeded in doing to England, disappeared along with the most capped player in their football history.

In truth, the eventual outcome had been placed beyond all reasonable doubt by the Italians during a 10-minute period of first-half devastation.

In the 32nd minute, Stefano Fiore picked out the totally unmarked Francesco Totti, who finished with consummate ease.

Then, three minutes before the interval, a through-ball from Demetrio Albertini would have been easily nullified had Iulian Filipescu not been dawdling out of defence and played Filippo Inzaghi onside.

With only goalkeeper Bogdan Stelea to beat, the Juventus striker obliged with supreme confidence.

Stelea kept the scoreline respectable with a superb save to deny Totti a second successful strike and Inzaghi shot wide of the mark when only he could possibly explain how he came to miss the target. Then Stelea touched another Inzaghi effort on to a post.

So for Zoff and Italy, there is an unexpected semi-final against either Holland or Yugoslavia in Amsterdam on Thursday to look forward to.

For Kevin Keegan it should be back to intensive study of the coaching manual.