Pearce linked to Phoenix job
Former England great Stuart Pearce is reportedly mulling over an offer to coach the Wellington Phoenix.
The 54-year-old has been shopped around the Hyundai A-League’s vacant management jobs, including at both Adelaide United and the Newcastle Jets, but the Adelaide Advertiser reported it was the Phoenix who have made him a solid offer, citing sources in England.
Pearce played 78 times for his country before turning his hand to management, starting with the last club he played for, Manchester City, in 2005 in the days before they were owned by the Abu Dhabi United Group. He was sacked in 2007 after 34 wins from 97 games in charge.
From there he moved to the England under-21 team and worked as an assistant to Fabio Capello with England senior squad between 2008 and 2012, taking over briefly as caretaker coach in 2012 when the Italian quit. His lone game in charge was a 3-2 loss to the Netherlands. He also coached Great Britain’s team at the 2012 London Olympics.
His most recent management stint was with the team he played most of his club career for, Nottingham Forest, for the 2013-14 season. He was sacked in February 2014 after a run of just three wins from 21 games in the Championship.
He has not coached since, but in February was bizarrely linked with the job of coaching the India under-17 team.
Making that move appeared even more unlikely than a switch to the Phoenix for the man whose autobiography was called Pyscho due to his on-field demeanour during his playing career.
Adelaide were reportedly keen to secure the services of Argentinian legend Gabriel Batistuta to replace Guillermo Amor, while former Real Madrid superstar Fernando Morientes was also linked with that job.
Meanwhile, former Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick, who resigned after eight games last season, has been tipped as the favourite to get the Jets job following the sacking of Mark Jones.
He heads a five-strong shortlist which included former Socceroo Harry Kewell, his former Liverpool team-mate Robbie Fowler and Socceroos assistant coach Ante Milicic.