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Pearce looking to restore reputation with full-time role.
Stuart Pearce, having already overcome two semi-final shoot-out defeats to achieve further success as a player, will attempt to repeat the same trick in his new career as a manager. Brian Barwick, the FA chief executive, and Sir Trevor Brooking, the director of football development, will meet Pearce next week to discuss the appointment of a full-time coach for the England Under-21 side and the negotiations should not take long. As the man in possession, Pearce is the FA’s preferred candidate and has indicated privately that he is ready to take the job.

The negotiations will centre on a more detailed discussion of the new coach’s brief and the nature of his contract, with Pearce keen on the insertion of a clause to allow him to talk to any Barclays Premier League club interested in his services. Whether the FA will readily accede to a demand that will shroud the position in uncertainty depends on how much it wants Pearce.

After the relative success of the side’s progress to the semi-finals of the European Championship, in which they lost 13-12 on penalties to Holland, both parties see this appointment as an important opportunity to change the nature of youth development in England. The FA wants to promote greater stability after the uncertainties of the recent past – with Peter Taylor being forced to step down as the part-time coach in January because of his struggles at Crystal Palace – and feels that the existence of a full-time role would have avoided the embarrassment surrounding the withdrawals of David Bentley and Gabriel Agbonlahor. Brooking, in particular, wants the new coach to assume wider responsibility for the development of all England youth players from the under15s upwards.

Pearce sees the job as an opportunity to restore a reputation diminished by his dismissal by Manchester City at the end of last season, while he also feels he has unfinished business with the present squad. The 45-year-old has developed a strong bond with his players, nine of whom will be available for selection for the next European Championship in Sweden in 2009.

Pearce’s standing has already improved on the back of this tournament and he deserves considerable credit for taking a group of essentially limited players so close to the final.

England were second-best for long spells in each of their four matches, but came through because of the organisation and team spirit instilled by Pearce.

“To have him as manager is fantastic and the passion he gives out is immense,” Steven Taylor said. “For a defender like myself to work with him is top class. He’s one of the most passionate English players I have ever seen. I’m speaking on behalf of the rest of the lads and any of the players will tell you the same.

“He’s a massive figure in the dressing-room. The Italians have Gianfranco Zola, but having Stuart Pearce as manager in the dressing-room, talking to the lads, is brilliant. He reminds me of Alan Shearer when he was captain of Newcastle. When he speaks, everyone listens. It means a lot.”

Steve McClaren would also welcome Pearce’s appointment and yesterday praised the efforts of England’s youngsters in the Netherlands. “That’s one in the bank for the players out there,” the England head coach said. “The experience they will take away from the tournament will be invaluable. It can only make them better players.

“The players can be extremely proud of themselves for what they’ve achieved. It’s heartbreaking to lose the way they did, but it was a true performance of English grit and determination.” The minimum Pearce will promise is more of the same.