Pearce handed U21 reins
19 Jul 2007 - 13:10:13
Former Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce has been appointed coach of the England Under-21 side on a two-year full-time contract.
Pearce originally took the post on a part-time basis while he was still in charge of the Citizens last season and led the team to the semi-finals of the recent European Championship in the Netherlands.
The 79-times capped former England international defender has now been handed a contract that runs until the end of the next championship in 2009.
Pearce's first official full game in charge will be a friendly against Romania at Bristol City's Ashton Gate on August 21.
"I thoroughly enjoyed working with the Under-21s last season and I'm delighted to be taking on the role for the next two years," he told the Football Association's official website.
"By taking the job on full-time, I will be able to build close relationships with clubs and the coaches of the other England youth teams.
"I'm looking forward to the challenge of qualification for the 2009 finals and working hard with everyone else at the FA and within the game to develop future England internationals.
"It was a privilege to work with the young players in the Euros in Holland this summer and many of those players are still available for the Under-21s and will form the core of the squad which we will be building over the next two years."