England Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce wants to take Raheem Sterling and Wilfried Zaha to Euros next summer Pearce, who was in Tel Aviv for Wednesday's draw, still knows that Hodgson has "first dibbins" on picking Raheem Sterling, Wilfried Zaha, Steven Caulker and Jack Butland for the seniors" trip to Brazil but hopes he can take a competitive squad to Israel. "Looking back over the years, I have always gone five, six or seven players light to really take the opposition on,"" said Pearce. Some of those players have been critical. It would be nice at some stage to go with every age-appropriate player to a major tournament, taking on the best in Europe who come with their best players more often than we do. We need to go with a competitive squad because you come up against the Germans, the Spanish, the Italians, some real heavyweights. Wilfried has been very good while he was with us. They are young players making their way in the game, especially Raheem. He's 17. He's come on the scene very quickly this season for Liverpool. While we have had him in the development age groups before, he has really made a mark this season in the Premier League. It has also been a good year for Pearce with the under-21s. They won all their six games in 2012, scoring 11 and not conceding any, also coming through a tough play-off against Serbia to qualify for Israel. The under-21s" achievement was overshadowed by the Serbs" reaction to defeat in Krusevac. "When I went back in the dressing room, the only thing that was important to me was the victory,"" reflected Pearce. "The only thing that started that shenanigans after the result was the hurt the Serbians were feeling because they'd been beaten."" The FA subsequently indicated it might not send teams to Serbia. Pearce, who was focusing on the future as he opened a 3G pitch at Netherton United in Peterborough funded with a £246,000 grant from the Football Foundation, would go. I have never been one to shrink away from a challenge, be intimidated. That will be a decision for my bosses. It is a sad day for sport if at any level one country decides not to go to another country. Hopefully I am seeing it in one-off isolation that will be dealt with by Uefa. Then let us and the Serbian FA move on from that.""