Uefa U-21 Championship - by Hussain on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 13:17 - 0 Comments
‘One or two’ youngsters set for call - Pearce

Stuart Pearce has hinted at ‘one or two’ possible surprises in Fabio Capello’s England squad when it is named tomorrow.

But Under-21 boss Pearce, who is part of Capello’s backroom staff, remained tight-lipped over who could be in included in the party to face France on March 26, claiming it is ‘more than my job’s worth’.
The former Manchester City manager opted to rest a host of regulars for next week’s Under-21 friendly against Poland at Molineux.
Established names like Gabriel Agbonlahor, Aaron Lennon and Theo Walcott, who have all previously featured in senior squads, are among the absentees.
‘I’m not suggesting they’ve been left out totally to be left out but I’m also not suggesting one or two faces might turn up in Fabio’s squad, that’s down to him,’ Pearce said.
‘On Tuesday, before his squad’s picked, that’s not for me to say. As they say, it’s more than my job’s worth!’
However, he added: ‘You never know, there might be one or two names that have been named in Fabio’s squad that make you sit up and listen.’
Manchester City pair Joe Hart and Nedum Onuoha have been retained but Under-21 regulars like Steven Taylor, Tom Huddlestone and Mark Noble were also missing from the 20-man squad, while James Milner is injured.
Hull forward Fraizer Campbell, who marked his call-up with two goals in last night’s win at Colchester, and Coventry pair Scott Dann and Daniel Fox are the three new faces in a squad, while Matt Derbyshire and Michael Johnson earned recalls.
With his team looking all but certain of qualification for the 2009 European Under-21 Championship play-offs, Pearce revealed it was important for him to take a look at his fringe players.
He said: ‘I have left one or two lads out that are playing regularly for their clubs who I wouldn’t learn a lot about if I played them - the Nobles, the Huddlestones and Steven Taylors - but these boys have the opportunity to stake a claim to the squad and to the team.
‘For me, it was an easy decision. I could pick a squad which would feature maybe six or seven players that I have left away from it that have featured for me this season.
‘What I want is an exercise where we win the game, that is most important, but also to find out about one or two of these players that have been around this squad for a long time and not played a lot of football.’
Dann and Fox have only recently joined Coca-Cola Championship strugglers Coventry from League One Walsall but Pearce revealed he has been monitoring the pair’s progress for some time.
‘Every report we have had the same thing is coming back - they have done extremely well. They deserve to be in this squad,’ he added.

Most Popular Content
- Man Utd Win
- Your Ideas
- Win for Galaxy
- Bruce: Safety is so close
- Ronaldo named player of the year
- Celtic title hopes lifted
- Portsmouth 0-1 Blackburn
- Your thoughts: Premiership title race
- Wenger slams Inter move for Hleb
- Champions league fixtures
- Russian Police Are Ready
- Birmingham 2-2 Liverpool
- Chelsea 2-1 Man Utd
- Higuain Refuses To Devalue La Liga Crown
- Ferguson & Grant set for decider
English Premier League
Man Utd clinch Premier League title
A first-half penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo and a late strike by Ryan Giggs - on the day he equalled Bobby Charlton’s record of appearances for United - sealed the tenth title under manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
More In England
- Chelsea beat Newcastle
- Grant says he is safe
- Bruce: Safety is so close
- Portsmouth 0-1 Blackburn
- Birmingham 2-2 Liverpool
La Liga
Higuain Refuses To Devalue La Liga Crown
The number of points dropped by Madrid and Barcelona in the second half of the campaign … this year’s title race has been a poor anticlimax and an indication as to the lack of strength in the Spanish league.
More In Spain
- Schuster: No looking back for Real after Sevilla win
- Barca chief Laporta denies rift with Ronaldinho
- Argentines secure rare win over Sevilla
- Valencia overcomes Barca 3-2 to reach Cup final
- Van Nistelrooy out for six weeks after ankle op
Serie A
Ancelotti: Milan in difficulty
Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has admitted the Rossoneri may struggle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
More In Italy
- Julio Cesar: I am scared
- Del Piero awaits Don call
- Del Piero inspires Juve to shock away win over Inter Milan
- Roma put pressure back on Inter Milan
- Roma can achieve the impossible, says Spalletti
Scottish Premier League
Celtic title hopes lifted
Celtic’s title hopes are firmly back on course after a 3-2 win over Rangers
More In Europe
- Strachan - Difficult to win now
- Lens rage after PSG fans banner insult
- Scotland star defends style of play
- Rangers beat Hibernian 2-1
- Review of all European league’s


Leave a Reply