England Under-21 Coach Stuart Pearce recently visited Norfolk FA and was in attendance at two local grassroots football events.
On Friday 16 January he delivered a session for the Norfolk Football Coaches Association at Norwich City’s Colney Training Ground, in front of over 180 local coaches.
The following morning he appeared as the special guest of Freethorpe Football Club, to open their new £328,000 Community Pavilion.
Both stories featured as part of Saturday’s Pink’ Un page, which you can view by opening the document to the right.
During his visit, Stuart spoke to NorfolkFA.com about his involvement with the events, as well as his long and illustrious career in the game...
NCFA Stuart, you’ve had two snapshots of footballing life in Norfolk during your stay. What’s been your impression of football in our county and the work we’re doing at Norfolk FA.
SP I think the first thing that has struck me has been the enthusiasm of everyone connected out here.
We’ve had a coaching session at the Norwich City training ground that was supported by some 180 local coaches, all looking to improve themselves, which for me is fantastic to see.
We’ve then come to the opening of new community pavilion in Freethorpe, where it’s easy to see the hard work that’s gone into getting the club to where it is today, with this fantastic new facility now up and running.
The work between the club, Norfolk FA and the various funding bodies is a shining model for the rest of the country. If you put the hard work in you can create these kinds of opportunities for youngsters to come out and play football, and that’s why we all do it, for the love of the game.
NCFA Do you enjoy attending facility events, such as in Freethorpe, as an addition to your day to day role with The FA in London?
SP It gives me a nice slant on things, the chance to see the whole spectrum of the game if you like - from working with the Under-21’s right down to the grassroots. You can see there is a lot of work put in at this end of the game and if I can contribute something to this work then I see it as part of my role.
NCFA To follow your coaching session - what in your opinion makes for a good coach and what advice would you give to an aspiring coach wanting to develop?
SP I think you have to develop a coaching personality. It’s really important you have a good relationship and affection with your players.
I’ve worked with Steve Wigley at both club and international level, and he is someone who epitomises this. He’s very knowledgeable and good on the training field, but the one thing that underpins everything is his personality. The players want to go to him to speak and seek knowledge – something that makes the job much easier.
On top of that you’ve permanently got to have a mentality to want to learn and get better – be prepared to go anywhere and seek anyone’s advice to improve as a coach.
NCFA Stuart, your desire to constantly strive to improve yourself - even now when you are involved in the national set-up as a coach – is a quality that have struck many bystanders this weekend. What kind of ambitions do you have for the future?
SP A burning ambition is to lead the Under-21 squad to success in the summer’s European Championships – hopefully this time going a couple of steps further than in 2007.
The pride I have for my country, and the fact that we’ve not won a great deal over the years, it a driving ambition to try and achieve some success with the Under-21’s.
As a manager you get marked by what you win and we’ve got an opportunity in the summer to do just that. I’ve got both short and long term aims. I’m charged with developing better players for Fabio and the senior team. You can do this by achieving success at the level you’re at, as well as through your work on the training pitch. Hopefully bringing a trophy back to The FA will do just that.
NCFA Changing the subject entirely now - looking back at your career as a player, who would you say was the best player you ever played with?
SP Certainly the most consistent player I ever played with was Des Walker. The most talented was Paul Gascoigne. If you look at his international record, he’s only been on the losing side for England four times in 58 internationals. No other player who has played over 50 times for the country has ever got near that record – a shining example that he was a truly world class player.
NCFA And the toughest opponent you faced?
SP I’ve always said a fella called Mark Ward, who I used to play against when I was at West Ham. He wasn’t a big name or international star if you like. But the way he played the game, how direct he was, it caused me a problem. Sometimes it’s not the big stars that cause you the most problems.
NCFA So who should we be looking out for in terms of the best up-and-coming young English talent?
SP I think in the Under 21’s you’re looking at the likes of Theo Walcott, who has been a shining light and has already managed to break into the seniors. Joe Hart has the ability, if he continues to develop, to grow into a senior role. Gabriel Agbonlahor and James Milner have also both been talked highly of by Fabio in recent times. I think we have a few there.
The most important thing now is to keep developing them. Not allowing them to reach the age of 22 and then seeing their development come to a standstill. I didn’t kick a ball professionally until I was 21, so there is evidence of the opportunity for players to continue to improve at that later age.
The pleasing thing from my point of view is that I have a group of players who I feel all want to improve. As individuals, they’re not necessarily happy with their lot as things stand, because they want to go on and achieve great things for their country.
Stuart Pearce will lead England Under-21’s at the UEFA Under-21’s Championships in Sweden in June 2009.