The former Manchester City boss has signed a two-year contract and has targeted winning the 2009 European Championships, although his duties are not confined to shaping a squad for the tournament in Sweden.

He will liaise with younger England age groups as well as foster links with club academies to help avoid the problems he was faced with before the 2007 tournament, where the under-21s were defeated on penalties in the semi-finals.

At the finals in Holland, Pearce admitted he was still learning his trade as a manager and was looking to emulate the likes of Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho, and he feels taking on the under-21s is part of the learning curve.

"This gives me another opportunity, hopefully a minimum of two years at this level to take on in life, and hopefully a long career in management," said Pearce.

"As a manager, when you are in the hotseat that is the greatest place to learn.

"With a two-year minimum, if I could sit here in 2009 and we had a good tilt at the tournament or even win it, you could say it has been a great learning curve.

"The more matches you manage, the more time you spend with players, the more educated you get. This will also give me another angle if somewhere down the line I go back into club management.

"On May 13 when I picked a team against Tottenham I didn't think I would be here, or that I wouldn't have a job the next day."

Pearce was appointed part-time boss earlier in the year but was effectively full-time when he lost his job at City.

One of the problems he faced ahead of the trip to Holland was player availability, with David Bentley withdrawing from the squad through fatigue and leaving the squad a man short.

Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor did not make the squad as the Football Association could not contact him, although Pearce is eager to clarify the situation when work gets under way.

"I didn't do it before now because I didn't know I would be working for the FA, but one of the first things I have to do is get in my car and go to Birmingham to visit the player and manager," said Pearce.

"We need to sit and have good communications with them."

Also on his to-do list is travelling back to Eastlands to see Sven-Goran Eriksson, his successor at City, to discuss the international prospects of the players he helped develop before getting sacked the day after the Premier League season finished.

"There are certainly some good players there," Pearce said.

"I spoke with Sven last week and wished him all the best for the job.

"I asked if there would be an opportunity to come in and have a cup of tea with him and speak to him because Micah Richards is available, Joe Hart is available, Nedum Onuoha is available, as is Michael Johnson."

Pearce will have around half of the 2007 squad available for the next campaign, although James Vaughan looks set to miss next month's friendly against Romania with a dislocated shoulder.

Agbonlahor could return, as might Theo Walcott after missing the trip to Holland as he recovered from surgery, with Pearce looking forward to seeing the Arsenal forward gain more experience.

"I can't tell Arsene what to do and who to pick but as an individual now, and I know from when I was 16 or 17, you just wanted to play the games more than train," Pearce said.

"That's how you enhance your experience. Theo now needs to play matches. Whether that is with Arsenal or with the under-21s, he needs to have time on a pitch and learn by the good times and the mistakes. The more he can play the better for him."

The under-21s face Portugal, Bulgaria, Republic of Ireland and Montenegro in the qualifying campaign for 2009.