It came as quite a surprise, only a few months until the European Championship’s kick off and England find themselves manager-less as Capello resigns. It was a shock, but from this the national set up as a chance to stride forward and try something new. England need a change, not a complete overhaul but something different. The old guard needs to be replaced by the younger generation and I believe there is one man that stands out head and shoulders above the rest.
Stuart Pearce has been the England Under-21 manager since February 2007, to be part-time along with his role at Manchester City but was then appointed full time in July of the same year. Under his guidance the side has achieved very respectable progression in UEFA Under-21 Championships, losing in the semi-finals in 2007 on penalties to hosts Holland and losing in the final in 2009 to Germany. Overall, he has only lost 5 games and has won 23, along with 13 draws. An impressive record it has to be said.
His experience is key, unlike other candidates such as Redknapp Pearce has experience in the international set up. Redknapp’s biggest job has beenhis current one at Tottenham, beforehand he had never managed a top side. His achievements with Spurs are impressive but England is a huge step. I don’t believe he is the right man for the job, even though he has been made favourite with the bookies. Stuart Pearce has something huge that gives him the edge that others don’t have.
This edge is simple. I’ve said before that the national side needs changes, we need to embrace the younger generation and rule out the old guard. No Ferdinand, Terry, Cole, Lampard, Gerrard. They’ve had their time and a new era is dawning. A new manager is the perfect time to bring in these changes, although due to the timing it would be best to wait until after the Championships. Who better to bring in the new generation than a man who has managed them before in the Under-21 set up? Pearce knows the players and will be able to identify who can fit into each role, who can replace the old players and offer something new to the side.
We certainly have the players, there’s no doubt about it. A spine can be made through the team with players such as Hart, Jones, Wilshere and Sturridge or Welbeck. Joe Hart could well take Peter Shilton’s England caps record, while all the other players could add up to a golden generation for England. In every position we have young players capable of settling into the side, as well as players that can come off of the bench to make an impact. The time for change has arrived and I for one am excited about the possibilities it could bring.
This is why Stuart Pearce gets my vote and I hope many of you can see where I’m coming from. You may disagree, you may think Redknapp is the ideal man but have a second thought, think about these points I have laid in front of you. Even if you don’t think he is the ideal person, you cannot be upset if Pearce gets the job. He deserves his chance and not just for one game against Holland.
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