Pearce keeps an eye on future

Pearce keeps an eye on future

Stuart Pearce: Believes St George's Park will create a key link

Stuart Pearce has stressed the importance of monitoring the progression of players through all age groups and believes the new National Football Centre at St George's Park will create a key link right through to the senior team.

The Football Association announced on Tuesday that the search was on for a new technical director who will be based at the Burton complex.

Pearce, as England U21 boss, has kept a close eye on the work taking place at all levels and feels the manager of the senior team should have a similar interest.

"I make it my business to see what is going on with the Under-19s, Under-17s and Under-16s, " he said.

"Going forward, you would like to think the next man through the door would have an eye to what is coming below him, right through to Under-16 level."

Proper house

Gerard Houllier has worked as a technical director with the France national team and, having identified a major flaw in England's development of players from 18 to 21, he believes it is about time the FA started looking to the future.

"It is brilliant to have St George's Park," said Houllier.

"It will bri ng unity, identity, philosophy, everything.

"It is funny. This is the home of football, but the home of football did not have a proper house. It is about time."

Gareth Southgate has been suggested as one candidate for the technical director's role at St George' Park, which is due to open its doors in September.

"The technical director is a really important appointment," said St George's Park chairman David Sheepshanks.

"That person will be responsible for bringing together and managing all the different work streams for the football side, which is the biggest thing St George's Park is about."

A regular complaint levelled against the National Football Centre is the FA has no access to players.

Yet Sheepshanks does not view that as a negative.

He feels the entire concept is about providing the best opportunities possible for young players to learn.

"Behind any top athlete is a great coach," said Sheepshanks.

"Where do you start? By having the most inspirational teachers you can find, who in turn encourage intelligent, decision-making players. It snowballs from there.

Technically gifted

"It is not just for the elite of the game. It cascades all the way down to the grass roots.

"We know what our stars do gets replicated all over the country in schools.

"The better standards we set in how we teach the game, the better it is for everyone. That is what St George's Park will do."

And Pearce does feel a subtle change in emphasis is required to try and marry the more physical attributes of the English game with the more technical approach of continental Europe.

"Instead of telling the youngsters what to do, we should be asking what they like," said Pearce.

"Three weeks ago, I went to Barcelona and watched their youngsters. I have also seen how technically gifted some of the Under-14 players in Switzerland are.

"We tend to be gung-ho fro m start to finish trying to get results, when what we should be doing is taking pressure off the coaches, who in turn will be able to take pressure off the players.

"At that age, it should be about having a good experience and developing, whether that is to be a professional player, semi-professional player or park player on a Sunday."