KEVIN PHILLIPS has conceded his England career might be at an end.

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, whose team drew 0-0 in Turkey on Saturday to qualify for Euro 2004, has suggested a wave of squad changes before the trip to Portugal.

But the Saints striker, who bagged 30 Premiership goals for Sunderland in 1999/2000, does not expect a call from the Swede.

The last of Phillips' eight caps came in February 2002, as a substitute in the 1-1 friendly draw with Holland in Amsterdam.

Darius Vassell's emergence - he scored in that match - coincided with 30-year-old Phillips disappearing from the frame.

And now, despite a blossoming club strike partnership with England's James Beattie, Phillips has all-but given up on ever pulling on the Three Lions jersey again.

"If I'm totally honest, I feel my England time has passed me by," he said.

"When you look at the squad, there's not many players over 30. The manager's going for a young squad and I haven't played for England for almost two years.

"I'm not going to lose any sleep if the call doesn't come - although it would be great if it did.

"I'm concentrating on Southampton now. And if I do start scoring regularly, people wouldn't be able to ignore the pressure that would cause.

"If I start performing well in European competition with Southampton, people will get to know who I am."

Phillips scored the equaliser in Saints' UEFA Cup first leg with Steaua Bucharest and begins his three-match ban for the sending off against Middlesbrough after tomorrow's return leg in Romania.

The £3.25m is determined to sign off in style before the enforced break, which sees him miss league games against Everton and Blackburn plus the Carling Cup third round trip to Second Division Bristol City on Tuesday, October 28.

He said: "I'm disappointed to be missing games. I feel I'm coming into form and playing well, but the only way to keep fit is playing games.

"Not playing for two-and-a-half weeks is disappointing, but I will just have to keep training hard.

"I will be looking to go out on a high. I have already thought about it, it would be great to help to take this club through to the next round.

"I knew as soon as the incident against Middlesbrough happened that I shouldn't have done it. We all do things we regret and I'll definitely think twice next time someone stands on me."

He added: "I've moaned about not playing in Europe in my career and I enjoyed the game at St Mary's. I'm looking forward to the return leg and the atmosphere of going abroad.

"I feel we have got goals in the side and we can score. We are also a hard team to score goals against. We know what a good side they are but I feel that we can win the game.

"We conceded in the first 20 minutes in the home leg and we don't want to give ourselves that hill to climb over there. It is a game all the players are looking forward to."

A happy birthday to Saints legend Matthew Le Tissier, who is 35 today.