You cannot fault the passion and determination he showed whilst playing for England and the FA will have to take that factor into consideration when appointing their next manager. The fans demand a manager that wants their country to succeed and I have no doubt that that would be Pearce’s number one priority.
Now this possibility may split opinion. Martin O’Neill has been one of the most successful managers of the modern era. His managerial record spans across 24 years with his biggest success coming with Celtic – winning 3 SPL titles and reaching the UEFA Cup Final in 2003. Since then he has had success at Aston Villa and, currently, at Sunderland where he has revived the fortunes of the Wearside club in the space of a couple of months – transforming them from relegation candidates to contenders for European places.
I think O’Neill’s best trait is getting the best out of players. If you take a look at young James Mclean for instance. Bought in by Steve Bruce from minnows Derry City in 2011, he didn’t appear in the first team until O’Neill’s first game in charge and the talented winger has been an instant success for the Black Cats. Martin O’Neill’s man-management could be key in revitalising the success of the, somewhat, under-performing players in the England setup (e.g. Theo Walcott, Stewart Downing.) Love him or loathe him, he has to be considered.
To sum it all up, this decision has to be made carefully. England have been a failing side since Euro 96 but there is no doubting the talent we have at our fingertips in this country. We have some of the most sought after players in the world. But there is one missing link. We need an English manager, full of commitment, determination and passion to do well for the England side. Could that man be one of the above? Who knows. In my eyes though, he HAS to be English.
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