New England captain Martin Keown has stressed the need for the squad to pull together after the shock of Kevin Keegan's resignation.

The Arsenal central defender wants England to kick-start their World Cup qualifying campaign into life against Finland in Helsinki tonight.

Keown has been given the England armband by stand-in coach Howard Wilkinson for the first time after skipper Tony Adams and vice-captain David Beckham were both forced to pull out through injury.

Keown insisted the players had lost ''a special friend'' with Keegan's departure, but insisted everyone must now look forward and start to repair the damage after Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Germany at Wembley.

Keown said: ''I'm very proud to be given the opportunity to captain my country, but very quickly we've got to get on with the job of rescuing a very bad start to our World Cup campaign.

''It will be a tough match and Finland feel it is a game they can win so we have to pull together very quickly and take things forward. As the captain I hope I can form a link between the players and staff and lead from the front on the pitch.

''I think morale is picking up now. Kevin Keegan is a special person and a lot of people have been down and disappointed but the world of football moves on very quickly and people get on with the job.

''We have not had a lot of time to sit around pondering about the situation. We've got a real task ahead of us but there are still plenty of points to be won and that's what we're going for.''

Keown insisted being elevated to skipper would not alter his approach on the pitch.

He said: ''I like to feel I will react as I do every week. The fact I am not wearing the armband then doesn't stop me from trying to lead, trying to organise and do the job as I feel fit.

''Perhaps when you are captain it lifts your profile a little bit and it becomes more visible but I have always led in the same way.''

Keown admitted that Keegan's departure had not come as a great surprise given his past record of making spur of the moment decisions.

He said: ''There was no real indication that he was going in the build-up to this match and he was very positive, as he has been throughout with us.

''But we knew that in the past he has made decisions when emotional so you have to say it wasn't so much of a shock from that point of view.''

Coach Wilkinson was left to cope without almost half his first team as players seemed to be withdrawing from the squad as quickly as prospective candidates to succeed Keegan ruled themselves out of the running.

Graeme Le Saux added to the injury list, while Paul Ince returned home to be with his pregnant wife ahead of the birth of their baby.

There was at least some brighter news with Paul Scholes, who had been doubtful with a foot injury, and Andy Cole both coming through training without obvious problems.

Gary Neville's failure to take part was described as precautionary.

The emergency call-up of Manchester United's Teddy Sheringham, who is now in line for a starting place, at least added to the experience available in the squad.

Wilkinson is banking on his more experienced players to come through.

He admits there is only so much that he and his coaching staff - two of whom, Stuart Pearce and Brian Kidd, took over only on Sunday - can do in such short time.

While Keegan's misguided tactics were the primary cause of England's confusion against Germany, too many players have been under-performing for too long.

The onus is now firmly on them to produce when it is needed most.

''I face the wonderful prospect for a coach who believes in preparation, of just three days and two training sessions with the squad,'' said Wilkinson as he approached his second England caretaker's role.

''Consequently we must prioritise our approach pick a team, give them a way of playing and try to communicate that way of playing.

"Then we must basically talk about pride in performance.

''Between us - the coaching staff - I think we have enough there to have some effect in terms of how the side plays.

But at the end of the day this will mainly be about the players, their pride, the leaders within the group, taking responsibility and leading from the inside as well as expecting leadership from the outside.'

Wilkinson believes it is unrealistic for the FA to look to appoint a successor who will take England through to the 2006 World Cup finals. FA chief executive Adam Crozier has spelt out his desire to put someone into position ''for six to ten years.''

But Wilkinson insisted the pressures of the job do not make it a viable long-term prospects. He admitted he will be ''disappointed'' if he does not have considerable input into who takes over.