The Blues' boss has been at the club almost six years now and this week has been reflecting on his second anniversary in the hot-seat following Kevin Keegan's sudden departure.
There is no doubt that victory at Middlesbrough at the weekend improved the mood in a camp that had become slightly jittery after being becalmed on 30 Premiership points for five matches but Pearce was his usual forthright self as he pondered the last 24 months.
He was especially keen to point out that after so long at the club as a captain, player, coach and now manager he feels that he has come to understand and appreciate how Blues' fans think.
It is a major reason why during all the brouhaha of the past month, when the team and his management have been the subject of some vitriolic criticism from the fans, that he has not once felt the desire to complain or criticise those shouting the loudest.
Instead he took the complaints on board, fought his corner eloquently and now aims to get back into the fans good books by finishing the season with the kind of flourish that will haul City away from the relegation zone.
Pearce admits there have been more downs than he would have liked in the time he has been in charge but insists there is plenty about which to be optimistic and believes he is now a better equipped manager for all that has happened.
Highs and lows
"There have been highs and lows and maybe in some ways with regard to some of the things that I and the club have had to deal with, it has been a baptism of fire," he ventured.
"Form wise it has been the same. There has been a near miss in qualifying for Europe, two decent cup runs to the last eight that ended in disappointment and one or two decent Manchester derby performances but we still feel we have much more to achieve.
"I'd like to think that one or two of the kids have developed well over the two years, we have more players reporting for international duty than for many years and as of last month we had two players in the same England XI.
"We are no different than the vast majority of clubs in the Premiership in that if you want to look for reasons to be critical then you will find them.
"One or two are above any criticism but I would say 16 of them can be viewed one way or another. There are those of whom it can be said that with what they have had they should have done better.
"The bottom line is that I feel as though I should have done better in respect to our league finish over the last two years but I also think that the club needs a touch of investment to push it forward again. I think everyone is aware of that.
"Everyone is trying to make that happen and if it does we have the nucleus of a hell of a good squad here. My words are the same as two years ago. We need three or four top-class players to come back in and give the supporters and the club a big push and see where we go from there.
"Any criticism that is levelled then will be easier to take because everything will have been done to push the club in the right direction."
Despite the manager's belief that some ready-made stars need plucking from the shelf in the summer, he remains fiercely proud of the efforts of Jim Cassell and the Academy staff who continue to churn out young talent that is the envy of the vast majority of the Premiership.
Watching the youth team fight out a wonderful two-legged final with Liverpool last season provided Pearce with some of his most abiding memories.
Experience
"The Academy's part in the progress of this club in establishing itself back in the top flight after a turbulent few years has been fantastic," he reflected. "They have supplied players and we have had the guts to put them in and give them their chance. I don't directly manage the youth team but there is no doubt that they gave me one of the proudest moments of the last two seasons.
"There are a lot of things right at this club and I am aware of the things that are not and it is down to me in the future to make sure it is right. In the short term, the bare minimum I can do is make sure we climb out of trouble and stay in the Premier League.
"Every season that has gone by you learn valuable lessons and I am a stronger and more balanced manager than I was two years ago.
"If I hadn't picked things up and learned from my experience I would be an absolute mug . I still feel as though we should be in the top half of the table and my coaching staff, the players and the supporters think that too.
"We need to make sure that we learn the lessons of the last couple of seasons.
"I am proud to represent City. I have been here for coming up to six years now so I do understand the mentality of the supporters and very much so. I understand their frustration as well.
"We have had one or two decent days but you get viewed on what you win at the end of it or how many times you get in Europe. Nowadays it is so hard for anyone outside the top four to win anything, it really is.
"I wouldn't say it is a totally closed shop, but even before the league kicks off you know at least three of United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool are going to be in the top four.
"If anyone breaks their stranglehold they have done extremely well. Recent history tells you that even the FA Cup has become a bit of a closed shop.
"We have to become slightly better and close the gap on the ones continually around the European places and then those in the Champions League year after year.
"I tend to think positively and look at our Under-18s who have just won their league, the reserves are vying for the title and there is a pool of fine young players here who will continue to progress.
Fantastic
"Looking around the Premiership we have a crop of young players who are as good if not better than anyone else. It is just a matter of getting those three or four big-hitters alongside them.
"I am pleased with the coaching set up here and the facilities are fantastic and then there are the fans. There are a lot of good things here and the pressure is on me to push it all forward."
It is clear that while Pearce's personality allows him to accept criticism better than most in what can be a thin-skinned profession; he has been slightly taken aback by the ferocity of the external assault in his hold of the manager's job at City.
Not surprisingly, he has perhaps wondered from time to time why he has had to endure such stick when others seem to have escaped under the radar. His conclusion is that it is because City is such a big club and so creates a deal of passion and emotion.
"The results have been up and down but sometimes you have to put things into perspective as manager, especially when the flak is flying," he said. "Last week I sat and watched a match in which Aston Villa were playing and they have won two games in 18 and are just a point above us.
"Since Boxing Day, we have won four and lost five in the Premiership and we have won three FA Cup games so it all depends on how you want to look at that glass. Half full or half empty.
"It really is a case of who is in favour with the media or not in favour at anyone time."
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I sincerely hope that SP learns from his mistakes in the transfer market and that he continues with the recent tactics of passing the ball on the floor. I think we should give him a chance to learn from his mistakes as it would be a backward step to change managers again. Look what happened to the rags when the board and fans stuck by Ferguson. Look at what has happened to West Ham with the so called saviour that is Alan Curbishly. Birmingham stuck by Steve Bruce and they are back at the top end. Whatever criticism we aim at SP, he is refreshingly honest over his own assessment of his tenure and (without actually saying it) knows Corradi and Dabo were his biggest errors in the transfer market. I've left out Samaras as I believe the change in tactics(passing rather than hoofing it)will benefit him and he will come good. Give SP a chance!!!
No matter how much talking this man does - and he sure is good at that - it does not hide the fact that the two years he's been in charge we have been close to relegation with a team which should be in the top 10. So as a City fan its up to you to judge whether that is acceptable or not. If fighting against relegation, reaching quater finals in the cup (against largely inferior opposition) and seeing a few youngsters come up the ranks is good enough for you, then SP is your man.
If there's a nucleaus of a good squad there, then it's a very small nucleus. Miniscule in fact. I accept the argument made by many that he's been working with "one hand tied behind his back", but he has made a pretty poor job of re-building the squad. Four goalkeepers; four non-scoring strikers; Ireland as the only creative spark in the whole squad; inadequate options on the right (Sinclair, Sun and Trabelsi) and on the left (Miller and Beasley), no pace in the team, no guile. The squads got average written all over it. Very negative i know (i'm sure that makes me a rag), but if the fans could see signs that a future was being built, i'm sure there would be more support for the manager. Roll on summer and the drastic changes that need to be made.
People like to make some odd comparison with regards to the present SP situation. However, there are some significant differences. Alex Ferguson already had experience and a great reputation as a manager from Aberdeen (champs in 1986) and therefore had experience and skill to turn things around. Further, the succes he had afterwards was build on a golden generation of United players coming through the ranks. With respect for the likes of Micah Richards, there is not enough to suggest that City have a similar golden bunch on the way to a breakthrough. The Birmingham example is just daft. Yes, they have stuck by Bruce but Birmingham are way too good for the Championship and you would expect them to be top anyway. Not that superb an achievement with the crop of players they have.
Blau, i think Isaakson, Richards, Onouha, Dunne, Ball, Distin (if he stays)and Barton represents a reasonably sized nucleus, certainly not miniscule. 4 more players of their standard in the right positions: LM, RM, CM and Striker and we'll have a good side and an entertaining one, too. The 60 million dollar question is will an investor come in and give us the 60 million dollars we need to fill these positions with quality. I'm talking players like Duff, SWP, Ashton and Malbranque. I'm sure the football would look a lot better with those 4 in our side and Pearce would look a lot better manager, too!
If we're a big club and whoever comes in then we should be looking to buy players like Bent, Keane or Defoe and oh what the hell lets sell Barton in a swap for Gerrard.
Funny how not once does he admit to any errors of his own. No mention of his poor transfers, tactics etc. I thought he was supposed to be honest wiv' ya. He is right that there is a good basis for the team. But he is not the man to select, attract or manage the key 3 or 4 players who will make the difference.
If there's one blindingly obvious lesson that City should have learned it is that changing your manager everytime the going gets tough is not the answer. I hope we stick with Pearce.
The players that City should keep this summer should be: Isaksson (No.1) Weaver (No.2) Richards (Starting 11) Dunne (Starting 11) Distin (Starting 11) Ball (Looks like he's capable of being in the Starting 11 long-term) Barton (Starting 11) Vassell (Possibly Starting 11 if he has a good goalscoring partner) and Mpenza (Looks like a decent player). You can then add the likes of Johnson, Onuoha and Ireland to the subs bench as they are decent players who can come on and do a good job. Players OUT then: Trablesi (Unfortunately I think his best days are behind him) Hamann (As Trabelsi) Sinclair (Too injury prone and as Hamann and Trabelsi!) Dickov (Why is he back!?) Dabo (Very poor) Corradi (As Dabo) Samaras (Just hasn't got it for me) Beasley (Never a Premiership player) Mills x2 (Free up some pennies, wages, etc) Jordan (rubbish) Sun (Not got it) and Miller (Don't think he's got it either. Anyone agree? I can't say who we should buy because that all depends on whether the takeover takes place, oh and whether we stay up!
Ashton? He's always injured.......
Daz, Denton, i agree. Swapping managers every other season will not work
Well, if there's one thing Pearce is good at, it's self-publicity and passing the blame! It's the usual gobbledegook and cliches he's spouted for months now. One of his most inspired moments was watching us lose to Liverpool on the FA Youth Cup final last season? Well, fool, had you let Cassell play Richards at Anfield we would almost have ceratinly won the thing...but you wouldn't allow it. Cassell was heartbroken and you weren't even that bothered whether City won a trophy or not. Shame on you. And this "nucleus" of decent players... shall i list them? Weaver, Dunne, Distin, Richards, Ireland, Barton, Onuoha.. all already there for you. Yet you're signings, all £13m of them, have mostly been abject failures. You claim that 4 "big signings" cold turn this team around. I agree. Want me to list some you've missed that could have done that? McCarthy,Nonda, Camara, Benayoun, Bentley, Doyle, Warnock, Lita, Nugent... I could go on, but all these players were available. And you spent the money elsewehere! An inflated view of your ability, and one victory has all the appeasers out begging for more. I hope you go on to win every game for the rest of the season, 'cos us staying up this time is possibly the most important thing you will ever do for us. And then toddle off to your beloved England job. We can't suffer another season like these past two, again next season. Believe it or not, but we're better than that.
I couldn't agree more with Daz and Mark. City should learn there are no quick fixes, especially when it comes to believing in a change in management. Stuart Pearce has some very admirable qualities, and has (in his management alone) shown us glimpses of what is about and what he can do. Perhaps one area where not a great deal has been said has been with respect to his backroom staff. Someone with a vast amount of football knowledge (like a Bobby Robson for example - and what did he contribute to Jose's abilities do you think?) available or accessible on some level might have helped with various inputs at times, however, in Stuart Pearce I'm confident we have someone as a manager who has got what it would take to establish City in the uppper half of the Premiership. Yes, he has made mistakes and been weak in areas; yes we need more money to buy specific players, and yes he is still learning - but who the hell isn't and what makes City different from any other team? All managers err from time to time, and all of them make purchases that don't amount to very much. Stuart Pearce strikes me as his own man, who in turn has an acute understanding of who he is, and what management is about. I don't think he believes he knows it all, and I do believe this is an asset to the team, and the club. He is young enough to take on board what he needs to, and to grow along with his team. If City do get the scale of investment that's been mooted recently, I believe they could do a hell of a lot worse than stick with Stuart (at least in the manager's job - perhaps supplement him with additional coaching staff and/or advisors) and give City the continuity we've been lacking for so long. Players like to play for him, and I feel he has (on the most part - the significant majority) their respect. He is the man for the job. Anyone who thinks otherwise is unrealistic, and the making of a new manager is often how he deals with adversity and what he learns from the leaner spells. Lastly, and I've mentioned this on here before, the nay sayers and TOTAL negativity of some of the posters (won't call them supporters) makes me sick on this site. Attitude counts for a lot, as does a realistic outlook coupled with a positive approach.
If the board at City short-sightedly lose Stuart Pearce, I believe they'll be making a huge mistake.
The answers lie in taking a more rounded approach, and City supplementing and building on the strengths we already possess.
Mark my words, that's the nucleus of a starting XI, not a squad. The amount of games and the sheer physical nature of the game means a club needs a squad of around 22 players, with youngsters coming through. We are a long way away from that position though.
He has made some mistakes of course but he must remain. There have been some encouraging signs of progress - Ball & M'Penza, a fitter Hamann who has impressed recently(his passing is excellent), better distribution from the back with Isaacsson playing, as well as several promising young players coming through from the academy.
The squad has a higher ratio of British players than most other premiership clubs - 63% compared to, lets say, Bolton with 33% (not to mention Chelsea, Arsenal, etc, etc.)and although at present we are at the wrong end of the table, I think this bodes well for the near future in terms of continuity and team spirit. All that is required is more patience from the board and the fans along with 2 or 3 decent signings in the summer. Releasing Pearce and bringing in someone like Allardyce, Graham, or, God forbid, Souness, would be a big step backwards and an indicator of blinkered decision making.
Pearce should not be trusted with another penny of this club's cash. Hopefully, this failing manager will go and manage his beloved England next summer so we can get a proper manager in.
There are several people on here wanting Stuart Pearce replaced because we cannot go through another season like the two we've just had?! What about the ones before them? Mansfield Town away? Remember that? I for one would prefer to fight it out in relegation in the Premier League then go back to those dark dark days. Stuart Pearce became manager and took us within a penalty miss of europe. He was the best thing since sliced bread....Tipped to take over as England Manager! Things haven't gone so well recently and all of a sudden he's useless. Admittedly, transfers and tactics have been lacking shrewdness but not entirely his fault. Why haven't we been successful over the last 3 decades? Because there has been no continuity. Charlton spent years yo-yo-ing between top flight and secong tier football...but stuck with Curbs and reaped the benefit. Get rid of Pearce and all we're doing is going back to square one.
Jesper I totally agree. SP can in no way be compared to Ferguson in his early days at the swamp.
As for those saying quick fixes don't work. He's been in charge 2 years! We aren't getting better and 10,000+ fans have voted with their feet. We all like the guy, but it was a big gamble appointing an untried manager and it hasn't worked.
This summer will be our most important transfer window ever. There are so many players on short term deals or out of contract, there is no room for errors. SP has not been able to attract or keep good players. No decent striker or winger will sign for him after what they have seen this year. Why come to play out of position or with no service.
The bottom line is we can't afford to have a learner in charge. If we get it wrong in the transfer market this summer, we will be in the wilderness for a long long time.
Regardless of City's limited strength and quality,their selection, use,positioning and changes when required could have been much better from SP.I know injuries, to Onuoha especially,disrupted City along with Vassell.
salsero: "The squad has a higher ratio of British players than most other premiership clubs - and I think this bodes well for the near future in terms of continuity and team spirit." Absolute rubbish - and so is the rest of your post! How does having the hightest ratio of British players in the league bode well for anything?? So having the most British players will help us to better things? You must be joking. It doesnt matter were people are from as long as we have a good side. And I dont think you can dig into our recent history and give examples that domestic players have been the best for us, the names Rösler, Goater and Anelka spring to mind. And the thing with the many promising youngsters coming through; yes, we have a great youth system but the only promising youngster who have had their breakthrough in the first team is Joey Barton and Micah Richards. If that wasnt enough you accuse the board of being impatient with Pearce? In my book they have been very patient with the poor football and results in mind, fx by not sacking him after the Wigan game. And how is bringing in a manager like Sam Allardyce a big step back for the club? Allardyce is a much more experienced manager with great results behind him in a club quite similar to City in terms of finance and stature. I dont know what makes you believe it would be a step back. In terms of our league position and the kind of football we play, I dont even think you can go any further back from where we are now! You take it for granted that SP should stay, I find it hard to take that seriously. Especially from a man who believes that ONE good game from Hamann is an encouraging sign of progress.
Blue-suede-dude, we are a much bigger club than Charlton and should not be satisfied with repeating their history of just surviving or being mid-table in the Prem. A club of our size with so many fans deserve a place in Europe. We wont get there with a learner in charge. SP hasnt just done bad recently, as you point out. No, from being close to Europe he has taken the club down for the past two seasons. Given that we stay up we will probably finish 15th. Just like last season, so there you have SP's fine record, two 15th pos. finishes with long goal draughts and ugly football. If thats good enough for you, then fine. I just expect more than that.
Jesper, spot on again. All this nonsense about having British based players being boding well is nonsense - and rather xenophobic.
Jesper - You are the one talking rot. So Barton and Richards are the only promising youngsteres SP has brought through?? He has tried Croft, Flood and BWP who most fans agree were not up to it. He has brought through Onohua, Ireland and now Johnson as well as giving Sturridge a couple of run outs. And before all the 'play sturridge' plonkers come on, he is a 17 year old kid who was out injured for 4 months. Hamman has made a big difference in the last 3 games and is prompting the rest of the team to pass it on the deck. M'penza and Ball look value for money signings and he has clearly dispensed with Corradi and Dabo as showed against M'boro when he played Johnson and left Dabo on the bench. To me, these actions clearly show he is admitting his errors and trying to put them right with the players at his disposal. None of the fans are happy with the way nthis season has gone but I say again 'changing the manager is a backwards step' and Jesper, how about a few positive posts as everything you say is negative. I recall a post of yours saying Johnson was anonymous agains M'boro...I suggest you need your eyes testing!
the thing that gets me about his regime is the performances have been absolutly terrible since he took over. even when we win we look dreadful. sometimes, playing good football gets good results stuart, the name of the game is to keep possesion of the ball, so when the manager is stood on the sideline screaming 'get rid of it' to his own players, something is wrong tactically.
Just for the sake of it, wouldn't it be very interesting to see how any other manager would do under the same circumstances as the ones Pearce had to work under? Not a lot of money, selling your top two players (although Anelka's contribution in his last few matches for City was just sulking on the pitch), and little time for young players to settle in? To me no other club invested less money over the last two years than City. I'm therefore still not sure about Pearce his abillity as a manager, although in all honesty I lost a lot of confidence in him lately. I hate that because I like him a lot and the names of possible replacements scare the hell out of me.