Ex-Pompey player of the season reveals dream to manage ‘at highest level’
Jason Pearce has revealed he has aspirations of one day becoming a manager.
And the former Pompey defender claimed he even reached out to Newcastle boss and ex-Bournemouth teammate Eddie Howe for advice.
Last week, the 35-year-old was appointed senior professional development phase coach at Charlton, meaning he will oversee technical and tactical growth of players aged between 17 and 21 at The Valley.
It comes after Pearce spent 12 months in the Addicks’ academy as an assistant head coach for the under-18 side, before taking charge midway through the season.
The ex-Leeds man guided his youthful Charlton outfit to the Professional Development League 2 South title before losing 6-5 on penalties to Barnsley in the national playoff final.
More than a year on since he called time on his playing career, the 2011-12 Pompey player of the season is hopeful of becoming a manager. But he is keen not to rush into his maiden first-team job.
He told the South London Press: ‘I know there is a process, for me, about how I want to become a manager. I have aspirations to be a manager at the highest level, but I look at some players who have come straight out of the game and gone into managerial roles and I don’t feel that is the way forward.
‘When you jump straight from playing into managing in a first-team environment then you can’t really learn on the job. You don’t get the time to learn, reflect and then improve, because it is a ruthless, cut-throat business.
‘I want to learn how to coach, how to deal with people and make mistakes but not get punished for that at a lower level.
‘Then when an opportunity potentially arises in the future, I’ll look to take that.’
Pearce also turned to Newcastle head coach Howe for advice prior to his under-18s appointment at Charlton.
He added: ‘I spoke to Eddie Howe before I took the U18 role and asked his advice.
‘He said: “Jase, take the U18 role but don’t rush into a firstteam environment. You’ve got plenty of time to learn and reflect”.
‘It’s something that I have listened to but that I had in my head, anyway. To have that reinforced by someone of his calibre was important to me.’