Stuart Pearce claims England U-21 team are nervous – Under 21 European Championships (Part 1)
English football is a mess right now and there are no two ways about it. At the international level, the English national team bowed out of the FIFA 2010 World Cup in the most humiliating of manners as they lost out to Germany at the round of sixteen stage by four goals to one. It was a shocking defeat for England’s faithful fans who think before every tournament that their team has the capability to win it. Whilst this mentality is appreciable within its own regard, it is also the reason as to why England fail to perform at the international arena.
Since the 1966 World Cup final against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Germany-c2904 at the old Wembley stadium, England have failed to reach a final of any of the major tournaments at the senior level. The mediocrity of the English players at the international level is something that is rarely highlighted by the press, who build them up as heroes and then bring them down like a house of cards.
Under http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Switzerland-c3016 side at their home stadium after conceding two goals and replying with two in return. It is already a sad state of affairs at the senior level but what is going on at the U-21 level, a level where England’s stars are supposed to be refined into perfect footballing machines. It would be naive to suggest that England did not do well in their qualification campaign for the U-21 European Championships in Demark.
One can only realize the magnitude of the England U-21 team’s accomplishment by acknowledging the fact that the German U-21 contingent as well as the Italian U-21 team failed to qualify for the tournament in http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Denmark-c2884. However England’s young stars or stars to be have been just as good as their senior counter parts under Stuart Pearce’s guidance in the Under 21 European Championships. England drew their first match against the Spanish U-21 team. In their second match, England produced a disappointing display as they drew against the Ukrainian U-21 team.
Stuart Pearce has recently come out and stated that the England U-21 team is suffering from nerves. Taking a leaf out of the senior team manager’s book, Pearce has gone on a run of excuses. Explaining how this is the first “big” tournament at the international stage for these players so on and so forth. In reality, Pearce is taking everyone for a massive ride. Taking a look at the England U-21 team squad, it is not hard to see the fallacy in Pearce’s argument of nerves destroying the player’s ability to perform at the international level. In http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chris-c9006 Smalling.
Smalling has had experience of playing in the UEFA Champions League semi-final of all stages thus the European Under 21 Championships would hardly be an issue for the former Fulham defender. In midfield, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Everton-c39043 and Sunderland in the English Premier League. Both the players have played in Tyneside and Merseyside derbies respectively, two of the most competitive and pressure filled matches in the English football calendar.
Up front, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Daniel-Sturridge-c10076 and Welbeck lead the line and these strikers have featured prominently for Bolton and Sunderland respectively in the English Premier League. It is safe to say that the core of the English team is filled with experienced youngsters who play week in and week out in the Premier League. How can these players be termed as targets of nerves, only Mr. Pearce can elaborate on that.
To be continued in part 2...
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