Stuart Pearce Interested in Full-Time U-21 Position

The former Manchester City manager has admitted he would seriously consider taking over the English U-21 team on a permanent basis if the job is offered to him after the European Championships. England can qualify for the semifinals with a win over Serbia today but may need only a draw depending on the result of the Italy-Czech Republic game, which is also today.

Pearce made 78 appearances for England during his international career and highly values working for the FA:

"I find it a great honour to work for England, always have done and probably always will do. It gives me great pride to work within the FA. It's how you feel inside with your personal pride. For me it means a great deal."

Pearce has had ambitions of managing a club again after his dismissal at Manchester City but the U-21 job would keep him just as busy. Sir Trevor Brooking, who is the the FA's director of football development, is pushing for the job to become full-time, a sentiment echoed by both Stuart Pearce and senior England manager Steve McLaren.

He has a successful background in bringing along young players through the ranks---from the academy to the first team. Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joey Barton, and Micah Richards all came through Manchester City's youth academy and Pearce believes he could have similar success in developing England's youngsters to the point where they could be fixtures on the senior team as they get older.