Steven Taylor feels the England Under 21 squad benefit from the experience and hard-man nature of boss Stuart Pearce.
No better man to look up to
Steven Taylor feels the England Under-21 squad benefit from the experience and hard-man nature of boss Stuart Pearce.
The Under 21 boss, who picked up 78 caps for his country, has a stern attitude towards his players which Taylor believes benefits their style of play and their attitude towards the game.
Pearce used to pace the sidelines whilst in charge of Manchester City, and, although he does not employ those same tactics in his current role, he is still very much a force to be reckoned with as far as the players are concerned.
"There is no one better to have in your dressing room than Stuart Pearce," said Taylor. "He has that aura about him."
Respect
Taylor says the stern attitude Pearce employs makes the players respect him more and keeps them on their toes as far as attention to detail is concerned.
"He might frighten some people when he talks. But when he does, the lads listen.
"He just gets so much respect from people.
"When you are playing in the Premier League, sometimes you see managers barking instructions but players don't really listen.
"When your manager is Stuart Pearce, it is amazing how many heads turn."
Experience
Taylor admits that the experience Pearce has picked up on international duty is a massive help when it comes to coaching the Under 21s because he has been there and done it himself.
"He knows what the game is all about and that experience is being passed on to us.
"We all look up to him. Who better could you have to learn from."
