England's Pearce eager for Netherlands lesson

England will mark the beginning of an unexpected new era on Wednesday as they welcome the Netherlands to Wembley in their first match since the sudden resignation of Fabio Capello.

Placed in temporary charge of the senior team until the Football Association appoint a permanent successor to the Italian is Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce. He knows all about overcoming the Oranje having been part of the last England side to do so in the memorable 4-1 EURO '96 victory at the old Wembley.

That performance is widely considered one of England's best in recent memory, but Pearce suggested his current crop of players would do better to look to the Netherlands for inspiration ahead of this summer's UEFA EURO 2012 finals in Poland and Ukraine.

"I don't think they'd learn a great deal [from the 1996 team]," said the former left-back. "We have to learn something from a side as good as the Dutch on Wednesday evening. We have to go into the game being confident and come out of it with a feel-good factor and a decent result. We're testing ourselves against one of the best sides in Europe, without a doubt."

Having already worked with the majority of the squad at U21 level, Pearce is confident that his inexperienced squad can follow the example set by Germany's Mesut Özil and Sami Khedira, who flourished at the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Championship before going on to star at the FIFA World Cup in South Africa a year later.

"Make no mistake, the Germans had a fantastic clutch of talent and I think six or seven ended up going to South Africa," said the 49-year-old. "It's the progression you look for at international level. [James] Milner, [Joe] Hart – all these players have tournament experience and know what it's like to be in group stages and knockout situations."

Danny Welbeck and Daniel Sturridge were England's strike partnership at last year's U21 finals in Denmark and, with the more established Wayne Rooney (illness) and Darren Bent (ankle) ruled out, the duo are vying with the uncapped Fraizer Campbell for the chance to continue their development at senior level.

"I have no doubt these young men have the ability to deliver a performance," said Pearce, who will not name his captain until the team meets at their hotel on Wednesday morning. "Various individuals had fantastic tournaments last summer for the U21s and that stands us in good stead, but we as a nation must be patient with developing our young talent."

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UEFA and ECA move close to new agreement

UEFA and ECA move close to new agreement – UEFA.com LoginE-mailpasswordStay signed inCan't access?Login

Accessible version  Register Login Logout   More resultssearch News centreVideo centreLive scoresTeams & playersCommunity & gamesMobile centreStoreAbout UEFAMember associationsWomen's football developmentUEFA Training GroundUEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Europa LeagueUEFA EUROUnder-21All competitions - Club -UEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Europa LeagueUEFA Super Cup - National -UEFA EUROUEFA EURO 2016FIFA World CupUnder-21 - Youth & Amateur -Under-19Under-17Regions' Cup - Women -UEFA Women's EUROWomen's World CupUEFA Women's Champions LeagueWomen's Under-19Women's Under-17 - Futsal -Futsal EUROFIFA Futsal World CupFutsal Cup UEFA.com > UEFA > Stakeholders > Clubs > News Send your feedback About UEFANewsVideoAbout UEFAAwardFootball firstSocialStakeholdersManagementEvents11 valuesMedia servicesLibraryStakeholdersClubsLeaguesPlayers' unionsSupportersProfessional Football Strategy CouncilEuropean UnionTeam sportsUniversities UEFA and ECA move close to new agreementPublished: Tuesday 28 February 2012, 15.53CETUEFA and the European Club Association have reached a provisional agreement regarding the signing of a renewed Memorandum of Understanding between the two bodies. E-mail Print Constructive talks have taken place between UEFA and the European Club Association ©Sportsfile News UEFA, ECA reach agreementClub competitions committee relishes final furlongUEFA President welcomes ECA board membersChampions League grabs imaginationIncreased solidarity for all clubs More Supporting documentation Memorandum of understanding between UEFA and ECAMemorandum of understanding UEFA/ECA   UEFA Calendar 05 March 2012Youth and Amateur Football Committee, Nyon, Switzerland20 March 2012 - 21 March 2012UEFA Executive Committee, Istanbul, Turkey22 March 2012UEFA Congress, Istanbul, Turkey02 April 2012UEFA Medical Committee, Nyon, Switzerland Published: Tuesday 28 February 2012, 15.53CETUEFA and ECA move close to new agreementUEFA and the European Club Association have reached a provisional agreement regarding the signing of a renewed Memorandum of Understanding between the two bodies. Read more

UEFA can today confirm that it has reached a provisional agreement with the European Club Association (ECA) regarding the signing of a renewed Memorandum of Understanding between UEFA and the ECA to run from 1 June 2012 until 30 May 2018.

Both parties agreed to solutions on a number of key issues including: an increase to the agreed amount to be distributed to clubs who have contributed to the successful staging of UEFA EURO 2012 (set at €55m in January 2008) as well as for UEFA EURO 2016 and national team football in general; an insurance covering the risk of injury while on international team duty; UEFA and the ECA have also come to a joint compromise proposition for the international match calendar, balancing the interests of national team and club football.

The renewed Memorandum of Understanding will now be presented to the UEFA Congress in Istanbul on 22 March this year. As for the international match calendar proposals these require the approval of FIFA.

Commenting on the news, UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino, who was in attendance at the ECA General Assembly in Warsaw, said: "UEFA and the European clubs have long been partners working together to do the best for players, clubs, national teams and football as a whole. With this renewed agreement that for the first time will cover insurance for players registered with European clubs, not only are we looking after the players, the clubs and the national associations, but we are also demonstrating a true respect and unity with our fellow football confederations.

"We are therefore extremely happy with the announcement of this renewed agreement with the ECA and we are equally confident that our calendar proposition will be approved by FIFA, who have always maintained dialogue with us on this matter."

Related ItemsClubsUEFA President welcomes ECA board membersPreserving football's valuesListening to the associationsClubs asked to protect game©UEFA.com 1998-2012. All rights reserved.

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Progress report: 100 days to go

The countdown to UEFA EURO 2012 reaches a new milestone as Wednesday marks 100 days until co-hosts Poland and 2004 winners Greece get the tournament under way in Warsaw. While all 16 finalist teams will be in action on the field of play tonight, UEFA.com finds out how preparations are progressing off it.

Tickets
Supporters of the 16 participating teams have a matter of hours to book their place at UEFA EURO 2012 before ticket sales close at midnight CET on Friday. Customers can resell their EURO tickets at face value and on a first come, first served basis through the official UEFA EURO 2012 ticket resale platform until 12 April.

Venues
• Poland: The last venue to be completed, the National Stadium Warsaw, opened its doors on 29 January when it hosted a small music festival. The first football match will be played there tonight as Poland entertain Portugal in front of a sell-out crowd. The arena will stage the opening game of UEFA EURO 2012 between Poland and Greece on 8 June.

• Ukraine: Kharkiv's spider-like Metalist Stadium and the ultra-modern Donbass Arena opened in 2009, while the new Arena Lviv and Kyiv's revamped Olympic Stadium were unveiled in time to hold Ukraine friendlies in November. The capital's 60,000-seater arena, setting for the UEFA EURO 2012 final, will host its first Premier League match on Sunday, the derby between FC Dynamo Kyiv and FC Arsenal Kyiv.

Infrastructure
• Poland: A new terminal will be inaugurated at Wroclaw airport on Wednesday, while in Warsaw 120 low-floor trams, which will transport fans around the capital this summer, are already in operation. Elsewhere, the finishing touches are being applied to the road and rail networks, with a train line from Warsaw airport to the city centre set to be ready in late May.

• Ukraine: The country's road and rail networks have both been upgraded and airports serving all four venues have undergone major changes, with modern terminals, longer runways and new control towers either in operation or, in the case of Kyiv and Donetsk, imminent. There has been significant investment in hotels in the capital since April 2007, when UEFA EURO 2012 was awarded to Poland and Ukraine.

Final tournament draw
Group A: Poland, Greece (winners in 2004), Russia (1960), Czech Republic (1976)
Group B: Netherlands (1988), Denmark (1992), Germany (1972, 1980, 1996), Portugal
Group C: Spain (winners in 1964, 2008), Italy (1968), Republic of Ireland, Croatia
Group D: Ukraine, Sweden, France (2000), England

Team bases
Thirteen of the finalists have elected to stay in Poland for the duration of the tournament, with holders Spain billeted in the small coastal village of Gniewino. Ukraine will remain in their own capital Kyiv, where they will be joined by Sweden. France have decided to head for Donetsk.

UEFA EURO 2012 trophy tour
The Henri Delaunay Cup will arrive in Warsaw seven weeks before the championship kicks off as it embarks on a tour of Poland and Ukraine. Fans will be able to pose with the coveted silverware at each stop and, weather permitting, they can also glimpse the 35.5m high hot air balloon inflated in its image. Entertainment activities will be organised and match tickets up for grabs. The tour visits all eight UEFA EURO 2012 venues as well as Krakow, Lodz, Katowice, Dnipropetrovsk and Ivano-Frankivsk before completing its journey in Odesa at the end of May.

Mascots
Slavek and Slavko will take on the mantle of Trix and Flix, who entertained all-comers at UEFA EURO 2008. The new mascots' names collected 56% of the deciding public vote this time last year.

Volunteers
Between June and October 2011, a competition-record 23,965 people hailing from 142 countries submitted applications for 5,500 volunteer positions. The interview process saw one woman travel from Australia for hers, and the roster was finalised in December. Training is already in full swing, running until May.

Sharp Fan Labs
Sharp is offering fans the chance to watch the finals like never before, sending 124 lucky supporters to represent their country in Poland and Ukraine. The prize not only includes flights, accommodation and match tickets for you and a mate, but you will also be invited onto the pitch 30 minutes before kick-off. Take the test.

McDonald's Player Escort
McDonald's will send 682 player escorts to Poland and Ukraine from 34 European countries, giving children a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk onto the field hand-in-hand with their footballing heroes. Player escorts are selected through a range of activities, including promotions encouraging kids to be active in local grassroots initiatives, as well as projects that inspire children creatively, such as essay-writing, reporting and video contests.

Carlsberg Goal of the Day
Watch out for Carlsberg Goal of the Day, a series of polls featuring glorious goals from EURO history, which culminates on 2 July when the goal of UEFA EURO 2012 is announced. All correct votes as per the final results of the poll will be entered into a lottery to win a prize.

Tournament Predictor
Predictor launches in May, offering the chance to win an array of fantastic prizes throughout the competition – all courtesy of Hyundai. You can play in two ways: either by predicting the overall outcome of the competition on the interactive map or by forecasting the scores of individual games as the tournament progresses. Fortune favours the brave, with higher points awarded for bold predictions – so can you predict when and where the shocks will occur to win these great prizes?

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Trapattoni sticking with tested Ireland formula

Giovanni Trapattoni has told the Republic of Ireland's young hopefuls they will have to bide their time as the manager finalises his plans for both this week's friendly against the Czech Republic and UEFA EURO 2012.

Trapattoni included uncapped Everton FC defender Shane Duffy and Sunderland AFC winger James McClean in his squad for the Dublin meeting with the Czechs, but they will not start the game as the Italian coach has already named his starting lineup.

Trapattoni said at his pre-match media conference that Duffy and McClean, plus Wigan Athletic FC midfielder James McCarthy, may be introduced from the bench as the match wears on but the Ireland boss is initially counting on experience.

"I will start with the group that helped us qualify for the final tournament," explained the manager, who confirmed that midfielder Keith Fahey and forward Kevin Doyle have left the squad for treatment on injuries. "In the second half I may use some of the younger players – maybe Shane Duffy and James McClean. We can add them to our system so they will understand better what we usually do on the pitch."

The 72-year-old also stated his intention to stick with the established order when asked if any player could break into his plans for UEFA EURO 2012. "At the moment there is no chance," he said. "If there is an injury then maybe one or two can come in. We have another game against Bosnia and Herzegovina in May but this squad, maybe with one player more or less, will be the [finals] squad."

Ireland hope the encounter with Michal Bílek's Czech side – who will be without the injured Tomáš Rosický – will give them an indication of what to expect against Croatia in their first fixture at this summer's finals. "The Czech team is one with personality and a mix of young and experienced players," Trapattoni added. "It will be a good test for us."

Ireland captain Robbie Keane will return to the United States and LA Galaxy after the match, having completed a successful short-term loan with Aston Villa FC. "The spell at Villa was great," said Keane, who scored three goals in six top-flight games for the Premier League club. "Keeping fit and getting games under my belt, it couldn't have worked out better."

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Elite referees prepare for EURO spotlight

As the countdown continues to UEFA EURO 2012, the 12 referees who will officiate at this summer's tournament got together on a winter course organised by UEFA in Antalya, Turkey. UEFA.com caught up with "the 17th team" to find out about their preparations for Poland-Ukraine and receive an insight into what it takes to become an elite referee.

For the chosen dozen, the 20th UEFA Advanced Course for Top Referees was the perfect forum to bond and exchange ideas ahead of a major championship – and an opportunity which Howard Webb, who took charge at UEFA EURO 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, particularly values.

"We've all dedicated so much of our lives to get to this level so we all share so much in common," Webb told UEFA.com. "We all have a passion for football and for officiating, we all have families who have supported us, we all suffer the same pressures week in, week out on the field of play; but outside of the game as well, some guys have to juggle work as well as their refereeing commitments. Because of that we are like-minded people."

Perhaps because the 40-year-old Englishman, whose performances in South Africa two years ago earned him the honour of overseeing the World Cup final, does a job that can leave you feeling very lonely at times, such courses represent a welcome chance to come together "as a family". For Craig Thomson, meanwhile, the gathering on 31 January and 1 February helped the referees ensure they are united in addressing the same concerns.

"This course is very important for us in terms of consistency," said the Scot. "That's what the clubs want, what the players want, what the officials want, and that's what the spectators want – a consistent level of approach and decision-making. So it's important that we come together as a group, with the referees, and get the expertise from our coaches, Mr [Pierluigi] Collina and Mr [Hugh] Dallas."

One main area of focus heading towards the EURO is fitness, with referees running on average between 10 and 13km per match and sprinting 50 times. According to Belgian referee instructor Werner Helsen, this is a "dramatic improvement" on five or six years ago. "In terms of high-intensity running, the amount has just doubled from 2003/04 to last season; and for the very first time, for example in the English Premier League, the referees showed more high-intensity running than the players."

Former referee Wolfgang Stark says that physical fitness is key to mental clarity at crucial moments. "You can see that the matches have become faster and more physical, and that means more requirements from the referees regarding their physical condition. It's very important that a referee is fit, that he can follow the match, and that can be a decisive aspect in taking the right decisions on the pitch."

In Antalya, video examples of incidents were shown to highlight potential match scenarios, and referees now have their eyesight tested to make sure they can spot the right things in a fast-moving game. Above all, though, it is strength of mind that defines the best men in the middle.

"All the professional referees in England did a piece of research recently with a local university about the life of a professional football referee," said Webb, "and the thread that came out of all those interviews was the requirement for mental toughness, real resolve and self-belief. They are absolutely key. Without that, you won't get to the very top of the game."

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Alive #6 signals 100 days to go

UEFA EURO 2012 is just 100 days away – and the sixth edition of the official tournament newsletter Alive reflects the excitement as the countdown continues to the championship in Poland and Ukraine.

Alive #6 is a bumper edition covering the final preparations for European national-team football's top competition. The two host countries have worked tirelessly to welcome the 16 participating teams and their fans, and Alive builds up the anticipation in fitting style.

Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko expresses his nation's pride in co-staging the tournament, and is relishing the ambition of playing in front of his home supporters at the end of his 18th season in the game. He tells Alive that Ukraine is ready for the event and that visiting fans will have plenty to see and savour in both host countries.

Eight host cities – Gdansk, Poznan, Warsaw, Wroclaw (Poland) and Donetsk, Kharkiv and Kyiv and Lviv (Ukraine) – will serve as venues for the 31 matches, and the fan zones in each will be a key focus for supporters throughout the championship. The fan zones will be located in the city centres, with giant screens showing the matches, and fans, visitors and locals coming together to share in the drama. Alive provides an in-depth look at the activities and attractions that the fan zones will offer.

A 17th team will be part of the action at UEFA EURO 2012 – the 12 referees, plus their assistant referees, the fourth officials, and the additional assistant referees who will stand on the goal line as part of the ongoing experiment designed to help referees in the decision-making process. Speaking to Alive, UEFA chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina says that consistency and experience were the keys behind the choice of match officials by the UEFA Referees Committee.

Through licensed products, UEFA enables football enthusiasts worldwide to feel closer to the game by owning a souvenir memento of its major matches. Alive focuses on the UEFA EURO 2012 licensing programme, explaining that the official licensed products developed for the tournament have been created with a large and diverse fan community in mind. From the official online store to treats for the youngest supporter, via souvenir match balls, video games and sports apparel, the licensed products will help fans touch UEFA EURO 2012.

The championship will also have its official song which will be released shortly. Having enjoyed No1 singles in both host nations, German-American pop star Oceana is an ideal candidate to sing the official song. Oceana reveals to Alive that she loves football and cannot wait to perform the song in a stadium – after which she will join the fans in celebrating the goals and memorable moments in each of the 31 matches.

Given there will be extensive and innovative opportunities to follow UEFA EURO 2012 across various media platforms, Alive spotlights the media rights agreements that will make it possible for supporters to live the tournament via television – both free to air and pay – internet and mobile on a linear and on-demand basis.

Do you want to know more about the official EURO match ball? How to get to and from EURO matches? How to find hotels in Poland and Ukraine? Alive #6 – an indispensable read for everyone looking forward to UEFA EURO 2012 – has the answer.

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Sørensen's pride at Denmark century

In 1999 Thomas Sorensen made his international debut as a 19th-minute substitute for an injured Peter Schmeichel in a qualifier against Israel; on Wednesday he will emulate the former Manchester United No1 to become only the second Denmark goalkeeper to win 100 caps.

Sorensen will be the eighth Denmark player to reach a century in a friendly against Russia in Copenhagen, having been first choice since Schmeichel's international retirement in 2001. "I'm so proud," the Stoke City FC goalkeeper told UEFA.com.

"There's nothing greater than representing your country. I never would have guessed that I would make 100 appearances. When I took over from Peter Schmeichel I knew I had to do it my way. And I did. I couldn't be a copy of Peter, and I knew that."

Going to his fifth major tournament this summer – and fourth as first choice – Sorensen will turn 36 three days after the UEFA EURO 2012 opener against the Netherlands on 9 June. "We have played very well for a while and beat some great nations in the qualification for EURO 2012," Sorensen said. "The competition in Europe is even harder than 12 years ago at my first finals, but hopefully this can be our advantage as one of the smaller teams."

Defender Andreas Bjelland, 23, is very happy to have a presence like Sorensen behind him. "Sorensen has the experience and coolness that a player like me, who has only played four international matches, lacks," Bjelland said. "His contribution on and off the pitch is of great importance to us. The person that he is means he is always ready to help the younger players."

A fellow member of the 100-cap club, Denmark coach Morten Olsen is another keen admirer of Sorensen. "Consistency – that's the one word that comes in mind," Olsen said. "You don't even have to rate a player who has played 100 matches for his national team. That number speaks for itself.

"He has only made a few mistakes for us over the years, and has sometimes been our saviour. I hope that people will remember that last thing, when they look back at his career."

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