Jenei plans for future

Last stand? Hagi shoots for goal against Italy

Romanian coach Emerich Jenei is planning for life after Gheorghe Hagi - whenever it might begin.

The 35-year-old superstar was sent off in Romania's 2-0 defeat by Italy in the Euro 2000 quarter-finals and could have played his last game for his country.

But Jenei said: "Hagi will decide himself when to go. Maybe it will be immediately, maybe it will be in September when the national team have their next game."

Referring to speculation that Hagi will succeed him, he added: "I also can't say at the moment whether he will be the next national coach."

Reins

Jenei is certainly not ready to give up the reins just yet.

"My contract is not just for Euro 2000. It runs past that point but we know other situations where contracts have not been respected.

"But we already have started to change. Adrian Mutu, Cristian Chivu and Cosmin Contra are very good players - and there are others.

Jenei: staying put for the moment

"For this European Championship it has been better to play with experimental players and look to the future, and there have been some very good points to come out of it."

Romania paid a heavy price for their victory over England as they were unable to fill the gaps left by the suspended Dan Petrescu, Adrian Ilie, and Contra and the injured Gheorghe Popescu.

Jenei said: "We missed very important players and with them it might have been a very different result against Italy."