England Under-21s remaking Stuart Pearce's reputation

This lunchtime's William Hill press release was an object lesson in reputation rebuilding suggesting that kick-starting your career away from the scalding heat of the Premier League can be a canny decision. Four managers immediately spring to mind in managing this quite successfully, Steve McClaren in Holland, Sir Bobby Robson in Spain and Holland, Terry Venables in Spain and Australia and Roy Hodgson all over the place. Even John Barnes has found work in England after having to travel to the West Indies for employment.

Stuart Pearce was let go by Manchester City amid accusations that he simply wasn't good enough to win trophies as City started its expansionary project. But he found a niche as an aide to Fabio Capello as well as a successful run as under-21 manager. And that run to the final of the under-21 tournament has lead William Hill to make Pearce just 8/1 to succeed Capello in the England job. A fair turnaround for a manager who a couple of years ago was not being linked with many Championship vacancies - nevermind Premier League ones.

England are now 4/6 favourites to win the European Under-21 trophy, as opposed to 11/10 on Germany. The most amusing bet on offer is clearly the 10/1 win via a penalty shoot-out.