Stuart Pearce fears England will never punch their weight at senior level until they start to take a more serious approach to youth soccer.

Pearce will take charge of the senior squad for Wednesday’s friendly with Holland at Wembley.

However, he will also be paying particular attention to the Under-21 international with Belgium being played in Middlesbrough a couple of hours before.

As Under-21 coach, Pearce’s interest is obvious in a match which will also help provide pointers for the Olympic squad he will name later this year.

Although interest in that tournament has so far been lukewarm, the consensus within the Football Association is that it provides heaven-sent opportunities for Under-23s to get invaluable tournament experience.

Others do not appear to share the vision, which is why the England side that competed at the Under-20 World Cup in Colombia last year was so depleted.

Pearce said: “I am forever barking on about how our best young players should be going to tournaments, even if they have a clutch of senior caps and even if there is a clamour for them not to go.

“Spain turned up against us in the European Under-21 Championships last summer and, in Juan Mata and Javier Martinez, had two players with World Cup winners’ medals. They as individuals wanted to go.

“The same players who were available wanted to go to the Under-20 World Cup. It was only then that the federation said it is too much.

“We had 41 players missing from our possible Under-20s squad because the clubs pulled them out. That is unacceptable.”

Change in an era where club football is becoming increasingly dominant will not come easily.

Pearce intends to keep banging the Olympics drum though, knowing six of the players he named in his senior England squad last week are eligible, as is Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere, who has missed so much football through injury this season.

“I have been around the country,” Pearce said.

“The excitement at wanting to be part of the Olympics is off the Richter scale.

“The players are really excited by it. For the young players, it is a great cushion as a fall-back for the European Championships. Maybe it is even a better cushion.”

Pearce nurses inside him the certainty that once players have gained a senior cap, they are deemed by some to be beyond Under-21 football.

Wilshere would fall into that category, yet, developmentally, a stint at the Olympics could be crucial.

“I will look at all individuals and make a judgment call at the time,” said Pearce.

“For any individual to have a summer off and then hit the ground running in pre-season is a huge ask.”

And, it is not just for players that youth football is so important. In coaching terms it is a valuable stepping stone as well.

Having worked with the Under-18s for a short spell as his playing career was drawing to a close, Pearce buys into the philosophy behind St George’s Park, the new national football centre.

And confirmation that Phil Neville will be linking up with the Under-21s in Pearce’s absence, to gain some additional experience as he plans for a career after his present one, is further proof of the FA’s good intentions becoming reality.

“As much as I can, I am trying to help individuals who have one eye on going into management or coaching in the future,” said Pearce.

“Phil falls into that category.

“I made an offer for him to come in at the start of the season, which he will do on Monday and Tuesday to have a look around.

“It is part of his education.

“The more we can give support to young Englishmen seeking to become managers or coaches, the more it will help us.”