England U21s: Pearce's failures and who next?

After a disastrous tournament it seems Stuart Pearce, manager of the England U21s for the past 6 years will likely not be given a new contract and he'll leave his post as the youth team's manager.

In 2007 he coached the team to a semi-final place in the U21 European Championship, only penalties stopping the England team reaching the final and giving Pearce a real shot at success. In 2009, he went one step better, getting the England U21s to the final, where they were comprehensibly beaten 4-0 by the Germans, a foreshadowing of the senior team's future. In 2011, in a similar story to the 2013 tournaments, they were knocked out at the group stage. So Pearce's records has U21 manager on the "big" stage stand at two successful tournaments and two very poor showings.

There was a time where Pearce was considered a genuine real contender to be the next England manager when Capello left. Indeed, in 2008 he was given a coaching role in the senior side, he coached the Great Britain side at the Olympics and in February 2012, after Capello resigned he did manage England, albeit for one friendly before the appointment of Roy Hodgson.

Since then, he has been fairly successful with the England U21s. Before the game against Italy, they hadn't conceded a goal since November 2011, they had been unbeaten for 9 games before the loss against Italy. However nobody will remember how teams perform in qualifying, it's what they achieve in the main tournament that really counts. Pearce's U21s were embarrassing. Stuart Pearce himself described the team as "awful", and they really were. Against Italy they were soundly beaten, even if the 1-0 scoreline didn't suggest so. Against Norway, the scoreline did reflect the major issues with Pearce's U21s as they were thrashed 3-1 and created very little.

A lot of the lack of success can arguably be put down to there being such a small pool of players to choose from, in a recent article from the BBC it was revealed that English under-21s playing in the Premier League has hit a new low: "according to research by the CIES Football Observatory, when English under-21s are considered, the figure [minutes played by under-21s] falls to 2.28% for last season, the lowest it has ever been." Pearce cannot be blamed for this, the FA and the Premier League are not known to cooperate well with each other and clubs have become increasingly hostile of international football. However, this is a feeble excuse, the pool of players, while small is not low on quality. Players like Zaha, Butland, Caulker and Henderson are generally quite highly rated, they've all commanded big fees in the past or have had a lot of experience at Premier League level or at the top end of Championship football. The whole squad is actually very talented, filled with names that are recognisable and players that at club level or having some success.

Another issue is that Pearce is arguably being hampered by the senior England side who prise his under-21s from him before the sees them as ready. Just today Pearce was criticising Walcott for not making more of the U21 side and focusing on the senior side, players like Jones, Welbeck and Oxlade-Chamberlain were all selected for the England senior side for two, ultimately meaningless, friendlies rather than being used in the competition. Other players like Sterling, Jenkinson, Zaha have all had full international call ups while being eligible for the U21s. Stuart Pearce should not be allowed to use this as an excuse, his role as England U21 manager is to hone players for the senior side, he cannot complain when this happens.

The truth is that Pearce hasn't been good enough in this international tournament and the FA should not be afraid of moving on from him, the qualifying stage of the competition was completed with style and success but Pearce should be judged on the actual tournament. If a senior England manager had managed these performances, he would be sacked. Pearce has failed to even have England be at all competitive on the main stage, out after two games, comprehensibly beaten in both games. His past success with the U21s should be remembered, but it shouldn't let him keep his job. He has become stale and it will be healthy for a new manager to be brought in.

This leads however onto a totally new question as to who? Who can be brought in to take over what has ended in shambles? The papers will be filled with possibilities if Pearce, as expected, goes.

Glenn Hoddle is a manager that some have called to get the job. Having managed England in the late 90s he has experience with international football and right now hasn't had a managerial job for a long time, preferring to focus on punditry and, perhaps crucially, his academy. Hoddle is somebody who likes to play stylish football and has a desire to do something special with youth football. However could his disastrous end to his England reign ruin his chances. Hoddle was known for strange choices and theories and eventually was forced out of the job for claiming that disabled people were being punished for their transgressions in a previous life.

Gary Neville is another mooted option, given a role in the senior England coaching set up by Roy Hodgson he has had a new lease of life as a pundit for Sky and is often cited as one of the most sensible pundits in the country. His coaching with England isn't something that has been widely reported on, either negatively or positively, but with a wealth of experience at both club and international level, as well as his much reported punditry skills, it is likely he has been a good coach. The question is; 1) whether he can make the step up from coach to manager and 2) whether he would want to. He's currently got a quite cushy job as a pundit with Sky, which he would surely have to leave if he was to become the full time manager of the England U21s. Neville has said he wants to go back into football full time again in the future, but is the England U21 job really that attractive of a prospect?

Phil Neville, if not Gary, why not Phil? The less successful of the Neville brothers was brought in by Pearce to coach the U21s specifically for this competition. However, it's hard to suggest any blame should fall at his door. On the other hand, perhaps using somebody with experience, albeit a very small amount, of the England U21 set up would not upset the balance but allow the gradual changes to take hold. Phil has recently announced his retirement as a player so announced he wants to go into couching so will be in high demand, as well as this, the papers are still reporting that Moyes is interested in bringing Phil Neville with him to United, and perhaps a return to the club where he made his name, to coach with the manager that gave him a big helping hand in his career would be a more attractive prospect than the England under-21s managerial job.

These are just three names that have been mooted in some places, but there of course a wealth of other options. It would be very surprising if the new manager is not English, I'd also be surprised if they go for somebody currently in a managerial job as the FA would have to fork out compensation or having the manager do both jobs which opens him and the FA up to scrutiny too easily. That suggests that an out of work manager, a coach or even a pundit will be brought in.

Wouldn't mind Gary Neville if he was able to combine his work as England coach and U21 manager.

Stuart Pearce gets a lot of unnecessary blame. Norway flew senior internationals back to make sure they made their u21 squad was at its strongest. We take players to meaningless friendlies to sit on benches, whilst our premier league clubs do not work with the fa to get the best young players available for the side. Then the pressure from the media suddenly appears and makes it all about winning, when its not.

Hoddle would be a wonderful appointment, a man who truly understands youth development. Would also be interested to see whether they could make the Neville's joint coaches. It's not a real management role, its a coaching role. Thus I don't think you desperately need a solo manager. Otherwise, there's coaches at clubs who do more work that age group that should actually have the chance as they know what they're doing.

I think a huge issue is that it's not a very attractive job, you get a lot of media scrutiny, not quite as much as the England job but Pearce isn't given easy time by the media, even after being relatively successful in the past. You have your best players snatched from you, the problems that come with any international job with the lack of time with the players and clubs being keen to do everything to not help you.

I just think it isn't a job that will entice many football people. It's not even considered to be a top job really, despite a lot of pressure.

Yet Pearce gets slated. He made very good points about the senior players and actually took a risk in attacking the selection policy of people above his pay bracket yet has he been branded a whiny excuse maker. This at the same time as journalists who bemoan the selection policy.

It's a coaching job. You need someone who can work with the FA at Burton and with Roy Hodgson implementing changes. We haven't run youth football right for a long time and the FA have treated it like a PR tool.

Duty281 wrote:Wouldn't mind Gary Neville if he was able to combine his work as England coach and U21 manager.

A good idea in theory but Pearce himself juggled both positions and we now know how that worked out.

I just think that it's a poisoned chalice.

Regarding Glen Hoddle: He was perfect for the England national team. Shame he's a tad weird.

Good read by the way Crimey

Hes meant to be a very odd bloke is Glenn, aloof and socially awkward even before he shared his views on reincarnation and faith healing.

At a push I'd maybe suggest they look to experienced hands. They should be picking the brains of Tony Carr and Dario Gradi for sure. The latter may actually enjoy this role considering its far more part time.

It's a shame he's that way Chris because in fairness he got England playing football which I haven't seen since he held the post.

As seen Gary Neville is a top top pundit and knows the game in side out. He was a great player.

I personally think he would be a superb appointment. Kids will look up to him and will very much respect him. He also won't take any **** performances. Him providing the coaching with England first team and being under 21 manager would work well. Also we can continue to hear him on Sky Sports

He might not be a great coach though. Some very good coaches do not make good pundits.

How important is this role to people? Its meant to be our breeding ground to feed the national team, why put a rookie in charge? I'm not against the idea, but its funny to me how he can have such support for a role so many people moan isnt taken seriously

I'd like to see Hoddle involved again, as I like his footballing philsophy. Like Freek said, England looked to play more progressive possession football whilst he was in charge.

Long-term, I think we need to develop a shared philosophy for all the age groups, in order to have players better prepared for the full squad.

Another name being sounded out now is Gareth Southgate. This supports my prediction that the FA would go for somebody whose out of a job, so most likely a pundit.

He had a mixed time at Middlesbrough, got them to 12th, then got them relegated but wasn't sacked, it was only when he'd got Middlesbrough within a point of the top of the Championship that he was sacked rather unfairly.

His most recent position was head of the FA's "elite development" which he then left after about 18 months.

BetVictor are saying the favourite for U21 manager is Michael Appleton. Interesting. Worryingly, they make Tony Pulis 4th favourite.

http://www.betvictor.com/sports/en/football-specials/england-specials/next-permanent-england-u21-manager/16526510/403851000

Southgate wouldn't be a bad appointment at all IMO. Hopefully ITV then can start to remove most of there crap pundits as well!

Phil Neville also floating around, like i say i would love to see him take the role personally. Surprised Appleton is up there, he will take charge for a few months and then decided he wants to be up for a next challenge!

Pearce has gone and Southgate is the leading candidate

Despite what Appleton has/hasn't done in his managerial career so far, he is still widely regarded as one of the best young coaches in the English game. Also worth remembering that he worked with Hodgson at the Albion and by all accounts Roy was a huge fan of his and was very reluctant in lettting Appleton leave for Portsmouth in the first place. Add in to the fact Dan Ashworth's new role at the FA, another who worked with Appleton at Albion, it does kind of make sense he appears to be one of the main candidates.