England under-21 manager Stuart Pearce: I have never once been able to pick my strongest team

England under-21 manager Stuart Pearce claims he has never been able to select his strongest side during his time with the FA.

The former Manchester City boss has found himself in a constant club versus country battle in his four and a half years at the post.

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During the summer, Pearce found himself at loggerheads with Premier League bosses, in particular Arsene Wenger. The Frenchman did not want Jack Wilshere to travel to Denmark for the European Championships.

Wilshere was not the only noticeable absentee either, with key players such as Micah Richards and Andy Carroll pulling out with minor injuries, and Pearce has bemoaned his side’s supposed inferior status, suggesting that Spain have benefited from being able to call up their best for under-21 duty.

Pearce told reporters: “I have worked in the job for four and a half years and I have never picked my strongest team even once. Never.

“You always have to go with your strongest side and squad. We haven’t done that. Spain have and they have got trophies behind them.”

Pearce also claims if he had England’s best young players at his disposal at Euro 2007 in the Netherlands, he would have led the side to glory.

He continued: “I was only at the FA for a couple of months and I said after the first tournament if we had our best squad there, and it would have included Wayne Rooney, we would have won the trophy, but we didn’t.”