I’ll give young guns a chance to book their ticket to Euros PEARCE BACKS NEW BOYS TO MAKE MARK
grabs, then the better for us.
“I certainly won’t be putting too much pressure on these players.
“There will be an expectation on how they are to perform but my job is to support them, not write them off after one match. That won’t happen with me.
“It is the process of a long journey rather than a short one.”
Pearce does have some old-stagers in his squad and Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard is one.
But the Scouser has only just recovered from long-term injury and Kenny Dalglish will go ballistic if he goes back to Anfield crocked.
Pearce said: “I would fully expect him to play, he’s not been in an international match for a long, long time.
“It would be folly for a player of his quality not to feature in a game of this magnitude.
“I spoke with Kenny after the Carling Cup final on Sunday and I’m aware that whenever I go into an international I have a duty of care to the country and a duty of care to the players.
“All the managers know if I put a player on the pitch only half-fit, then that will be detrimental to the country.”
Gerrard is favourite to be named skipper – if he is fit enough to start.
Liverpool team-mate Glen Johnson is the latest player to pull out through injury and has been replaced by inform Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott.