Source: FOOTYMAD
Pearce: We'll learn from Euro exit
Stuart Pearce claimed the England U21 side will come back stronger from their European Championship group stage exit, with almost half of the squad still eligible to compete in the 2013 Championship. Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Czech Republic was a disappointment for Pearce's side, meaning they exited the tournament at the group stages having reached the final two years ago and the semi-final stage two years before that."I will learn the lessons. I will have a good look at it," said Pearce, whose job is not thought to be at risk."We are the youngest squad here. I have 10 players who were with me today who can roll their sleeves up and go again next time. We have to take that hurt on."Although England did not go as far as they had hoped, they remain the only side in the continent to reach the finals in three consecutive tournaments: last year's winners, Germany, did not even qualify.The young Three Lions leave with just two points to their name, but Pearce insisted the stats mask the difficulty of the task his side faced."People don't realise the magnitude of the group we were put in," he said."You've only got to look at the other group. A team's come out of that group having lost two matches. That tells you they might have lumped the stronger teams together. But that's tournament football."England were on course to face Switzerland in Wednesday's semi-final when Danny Welbeck broke the deadlock with 14 minutes remaining, but Jan Chramosta and Tomas Pekhart came off the bench to turn the game on its head."Once you get your nose in front at that stage of the game, you hope to keep hold of it and see the game out," added Pearce."I wouldn't say we gave up. But we probably should have done better at the end."We have to take it on the chin, learn, and go on next season. I thought we played particularly well, cut them open on several occasions, got the goal, which was big for us. But we didn't have the doggedness to see out the victory."
