STUART PEARCE began the inevitable transformation from player to manager yesterday when he agreed to take charge of Nottingham Forest in a caretaking capacity.
Just 24 hours after the Premiership's bottom club had accepted the resignation of Frank Clark, the 34-year-old England international defender announced he was willing to undertake one of English football's least attractive jobs, albeit on a brief trial period.
Pearce will be at the helm for the crucial Christmas and New Year period, a programme which could well decide whether Forest are to be relegated just three seasons after winning promotion.
Pearce said he intends to review his position in mid-January, by when Forest's protracted takeover battle will have been resolved. Although Pearce had asked for 24 hours to think over the invitation "to succeed Clark on a temporary basis, he clearly decided to accept some time on Thursday because later that day he set in motion a deal which yesterday saw the former Forest favourite Nigel Clough return to the City ground on a month's loan from Manchester City.
While Pearce has never made any secret of his desire to move into management at the end of his playing career, he is concerned that taking on the role of player manager may jeopardise his chances of further extending his international career.
"Make no mistake, the England situation is of uppermost importance to me," he said. "I have made that quite clear. It is extremely important to me that I am not jeopardising my England place."
Pearce stressed that he would only consider taking permanent charge if he received certain assurances about his international career.
Forest will entertain Arsenal today, three points adrift at the foot of the table and without a League win in 16 games - a Premiership record established earlier in the week when they were beaten 4-2 by Liverpool at Anfield.
"This has got to be one of - if not the - biggest challenges of my career," said Pearce. "I would have preferred to take over a team at the top of the League with no problems off the pitch, but that is not the case.
"The chairman rang me and asked if I would be prepared to take on the challenge until a new consortium is in place at the club. I will take over until mid-January initially and will then review my situation. If I feel it has affected my football then I have told the chairman I will see him again and discuss my position again.
Forest chairman Irving Korn revealed that Clark's final act as Forest's manager was a typically generous one, he recommended that Pearce should replace him.
