Terry Venables has indicated for the first time that he would be prepared to step back into the England manager's job.

The 57-year-old is well aware of possible Football Association opposition to such a move but said he would welcome a referendum as to who should replace Kevin Keegan if the current coach quits - an idea dreamed up by Venables' wife Yvette.

'This is the people's game, so let the people decide,' said Venables. 'My wife came up with the idea for a plebiscite, bright lady that she is, and the more I thought about it, the more sense it made.

'I know there are still some people who are against me, but at the same time I keep hearing that I would be the people's choice. So if the circumstances arise, why not find out if it's true? If Tony Blair can hold a referendum on the single European currency, then why not have one to pick the England coach?

'This does not imply any criticism whatsoever of Kevin on my part. Let's be clear about this. He's the man in the hot-seat and he's doing his very best to make it all work.'

It is the first indication Venables has given that he may be willing to return to the post which he vacated in anger after the FA's reluctance to extend his contract to the 1998 World Cup before he had proved himself in Euro 96.

If a referendum was held and Venables voted in, any decision would depend finally on him being convinced that the FA hierarchy was behind his reappointment to a man.

Until now, Venables has steadfastly distanced himself from any speculation linking him to his old job. But the question has been asked with increasing urgency in the wake of England's exit from Euro 2000.

Keegan has already said that he will resign if England's disappointments carry over to the 2002 World Cup qualifying matches against Germany and Finland this October.

Venables added: 'A lot of people keep telling me that I should re-open the door to an approach if Kevin walks away. They say a lot of people would would want me back, especially the professionals in the game, so maybe it would be an idea to poll the country for its opinion.

'But there would have to be a condition on my part: I would want to be sure I had the backing of everyone at the FA. This is a demanding job, which is even more difficult without that support.'

Venables currently divides his time between analysing matches for ITV and developing his golf resort and soccer training centre in Spain.

There were calls for his reinstatement by England when Glenn Hoddle was forced out of the job after the 1998 World Cup but the recriminations over his various legal battles were still too fresh at that time and the FA went for Keegan.

Some are campaigning for a foreigner to be drafted in to solve the crisis in technique and tactics so vividly exposed in Holland and Belgium, with Arsenal's Arsene Wenger and Liverpool's Gerard Houllier the most frequently mentioned.

But Venables believes the task would be especially fraught for a foreigner as well as a damning and retrograde step for the English game, one which would further encourage him to answer a call to return to arms.