Pearce should be given chance to lead England at Euro 2012

Everyone has seen it, everyone remembers it – Stuart Pearce screaming like a man obsessed after slotting away his penalty at Euro 96.

He couldn’t have represented the three lions on that shirt any better and now chooses who will recreate history in the new (over priced and unnecessary) England shirt.

Harry Redknapp is the dead cert choice to be the next England manager but it’s a shame that the timing just doesn’t add up.

He’s built a magnificent team at White Hart Lane and will surely want another crack at the title next campaign whilst enjoying another Champions League journey.

Redknapp, however good he is, simply cannot attempt to guide Spurs to Champions League qualification and FA Cup glory this May if he has to also prepare England for Euro 2012.

As England manager he would have to travel to all corners of Europe to assess players from opponents in the group stages.

Therefore the list of plausible candidates to replace Fabio Capello is short. Guus Hiddink has just returned to club football in Russia and José Mourinho is still plodding along to La Liga glory.

Who else? No-one. So Pearce should be given his chance to step up to the plate and deliver this summer.

He has been in the England set up for five years now. He was Capello’s understudy but clearly wasn’t on the same page as the Italian, for instance with the call-up of the previously neglected Micah Richards.

So he knows the players, how they train, how they react and most importantly he knows the language. His work with the Under-21′s since 2007 has produced success and he’s worked alongside many players that now feature in his squad for next Wednesday.

Many see the England job as a poison chalice but Pearce is showing the desire and hunger to take the reins.

“I have tournament experience if they need me to step into the breach in the summer,” he told the media earlier this week. “If they need me to take the squad this summer I will do that with pleasure.”

However, there are negatives to Pearce taking to job at the Euros. Does he really have the years of experience needed to head a national side?

Will his selections be tainted by his work under Capello? Worryingly too, he has persisted with average players such as Stewart Downing and Darren Bent.

And his time at Manchester City wasn’t exactly rosy as his side flirted with relegation for two seasons.

Redknapp would be mad to leave Tottenham now and the dual management would never work. The lack of prime candidates to take England to Euro 2012 makes ‘Psycho’ Pearce the obvious candidate.

He’s thrown together youth and experience for the friendly at Wembley next week so a positive performance could give him his chance.

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Read more on: England, Euro 2012, fabio capello, International football, stuart pearce.