'Put things right'
Monday, 29 June, 2009
Stuart Pearce urges his side to come back stronger after Final defeat.
Marc Isaacs
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Stuart Pearce believes his England players will learn from the disappointment of their 4-0 defeat against Germany in the European Championship Final and will come back even stronger next time around.
England’s Young Lions failed to show the form which had seen them reach the Final in Malmo and were well beaten by an impressive German side.
Pearce admits he will take time to look back at the whole tournament and analyse where he can make his England Under-21 side even better for the next campaign.
Pearce said: "You have to be humble at a time like this. It hurts me and the players in the dressing room. Half of them can go on again next time and we have to improve on what we have done this time.
"It is a learning curve for young players and they have to learn how to be humble and come out and say the right thing.
"I think all of them will go back to their clubs better players than when they joined us three-weeks ago.
"Hopefully the hurt will still be inside and they have to make sure that hurt is turned around and we improve in two years time.
"We started very brightly but the first goal killed us and we got picked off at will which was disappointing for us.
"At this stage it is down to me to sit back, look back at the tournament and work out how I can improve the boys at this level. I said going into the tournament it will take 23 of us to win it and I still stick by that."
Pearce admits he will take time to thank the players who can no longer represent the Under-21s and hopes the younger players will have an even bigger point to prove when the next major tournament comes around.
Pearce added: "We will have a meal together and I will speak with the whole squad and split them into two groups.
"I will thank one of them on behalf of The Football Association and the whole of England for what they have done. The likes of James Milner who has won 40 odd caps which is an incredible achievement.
"The other group has got to store up that anger they have got inside them now and put things right for the two-year campaign.
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