Stuart Pearce turned down Wolves job offer
Stuart Pearce turned down the chance to become part of Kenny Jackett's Wolves revolution, it emerged today.
The former England Under-21s coach confirmed he received an approach from Jackett to join his backroom team in the summer.
Pearce would have been happy to join Wolves because of the size of the club, but the 1990 World Cup semi-finalist wanted to be manager, not a coach or a number two.
The 51-year-old confirmed the approach at a dinner at Molineux.
Jackett worked briefly with Pearce when they were reserve team boss and first-team manager respectively at Manchester City in 2007.
And Jackett, who was also linked with a move for his former Watford striker Kevin Phillips as player-coach, was looking for a reunion with Pearce this summer.
In the end, the Molineux head coach turned to his trusted lieutenant from Millwall, Joe Gallen.
But it's understood not before he approached Pearce, who left his England Under-21s post after six years on June 19 after losing all their group matches at the UEFA Under-21s Championship in Israel.
It's not clear exactly what role Jackett had planned for Pearce, but it's likely he would have been number two to the head coach.
Pearce, who is currently hiring himself out as an after dinner speaker talking about his career, revealed he will be ready to look for a job in the new year.
But with a profile including leading the Great Britain Olympic team at London 2012 and a caretaker stint in charge of the full England team after the departure of Fabio Capello, the 78-capped former England international is unlikely to be short of offers.
Pearce guided England reached the semi-finals of the 2007 UEFA Under-21 Championships but were eliminated on penalties by the hosts, the Netherlands.
And after being appointed as Capello's coach to the full England squad in 2008, he guided England Under-21s to the final of the 2009 UEFA Under-21 Championships where they lost 4–0 to Germany.
Succeeding Kevin Keegan in 2005, he led City to eighth spot in 2004-05, 15th the following season and 14th in 2006-07.
A fearless competitor as a player, he became a legendary figure at Nottingham Forest, scoring 60 goals in 401 games from left-back and also played for Coventry, Newcastle, West Ham and City.
