Lure of Whites was hard to resist - Pearce INTERVIEW
Yorkshire Evening Post 8/5/12
By Phil Hay
For the second time in one short year, Jason Pearce has taken a leap of faith by moving clubs on the promise of a successful season ahead.
Eleven months ago he joined Portsmouth from Bournemouth believing the squad and financial situation at Fratton Park would be adequate for the Championship. The club he quit yesterday were insolvent, relegated and sadly devoid of hope.
In signing a four-year deal with Leeds United and becoming Neil Warnock’s first acquisition of the summer, Pearce engaged himself in another game of trust.
Earlier this week Warnock directed 11 professionals towards the exit door at Elland Road having previously released four others. The gaps in United’s squad are vast and Pearce, in the words of his new manager, is “the first piece of the jigsaw” – a large jigsaw which lies far from completion but should ultimately paint a picture of promotion.
Pearce’s experience at Fratton Park did not tempt him to think twice when Warnock banged on his door. “When I signed for Portsmouth I didn’t expect so many problems,” Pearce said. “I thought the finances were right and I believed we’d move forward.
“It wasn’t like we were definitely going up but we had some brilliant players. I thought we’d be there or thereabouts but when everything bad started happening, it was asking too much.
“The gaffer here (Warnock) promised me he’d have plenty of players to bring in and said that I’d be the first part of the jigsaw. There’s going to be a new crop here and with the right squad we’ll have a really good go at next season. I’m certain he’ll get the right squad.
“I had other clubs interested but this was the place for me. Even when the other clubs came forward there was no turning back. Leeds showed an interest a month or so ago and I’ve been wanting to get it done for a while.”
Pearce’s career has been on the up and up for several years, helped by a spell at Bournemouth which saw him win promotion from League Two in 2010 and appear in a play-off semi-final the following season.
For all Portsmouth’s crises and their unavoidable descent from the Championship, the 24-year-old emerged from the wreckage of this season with his reputation intact.
The captaincy became his and seven of Portsmouth’s nine end-of-season awards came his way, allowing him to move on from Fratton Park on good terms. Warnock made no effort to hide his wide smile after the formalities were completed at Thorp Arch yesterday morning.
“I only made the step up to Championship level last season but I feel like I proved myself,” Pearce said. “I hope I did.
“I feel I can cope at this level and I didn’t want to take a backwards step at my age. League One would have been a backwards step and everyone at Portsmouth seemed to appreciate that I wanted to move on.
“But I can’t deny that it was hard to leave. We went through a lot at Portsmouth and I hold them close. I was there as a young lad. This move is for my career. I want to succeed and do well.
“The pull of Leeds United is there for a lot of players. There aren’t too many, not in this division, who wouldn’t think about coming here. I think the gaffer wants young, hungry lads who want to succeed and that’s how see myself. It’s what I’m about and I can’t wait to get started.”
Warnock’s complaints about his team were plentiful during his initial two-and-a-half months as Leeds manager: no bite, insufficient leadership and a dearth of players good enough to make the play-offs or better attainable.
The deal to sign Pearce is believed to have been arranged in principle midway through last month, and Warnock was anxious to make the defender his first summer signing, offering what he said was a recruit who “showed my intent and epitomised what I want in my players.”
The signing went through within a week of the season ending and Warnock said: “We’ve had to move this quickly.
“The retained list was out on Wednesday and that’s always a bad day but you can’t just have doom and gloom. You’ve got to let the supporters know what the plan is.
“I’ve been wanting to confirm speculation about Jason but you dice with death when you do that. Now it’s done, I’m absolutely delighted – ecstatic.
“I’ve convinced him that this is the place for him to be and he’s the first piece of the jigsaw. I want to continue building it fast.”
Pearce said: “I think everyone knows I’m a no-nonsense centre-half. I’ll put my head in where others don’t and I’ll always give 100 per cent. I’m a team player.”
By Phil Hay
For the second time in one short year, Jason Pearce has taken a leap of faith by moving clubs on the promise of a successful season ahead.
Eleven months ago he joined Portsmouth from Bournemouth believing the squad and financial situation at Fratton Park would be adequate for the Championship. The club he quit yesterday were insolvent, relegated and sadly devoid of hope.
In signing a four-year deal with Leeds United and becoming Neil Warnock’s first acquisition of the summer, Pearce engaged himself in another game of trust.
Earlier this week Warnock directed 11 professionals towards the exit door at Elland Road having previously released four others. The gaps in United’s squad are vast and Pearce, in the words of his new manager, is “the first piece of the jigsaw” – a large jigsaw which lies far from completion but should ultimately paint a picture of promotion.
Pearce’s experience at Fratton Park did not tempt him to think twice when Warnock banged on his door. “When I signed for Portsmouth I didn’t expect so many problems,” Pearce said. “I thought the finances were right and I believed we’d move forward.
“It wasn’t like we were definitely going up but we had some brilliant players. I thought we’d be there or thereabouts but when everything bad started happening, it was asking too much.
“The gaffer here (Warnock) promised me he’d have plenty of players to bring in and said that I’d be the first part of the jigsaw. There’s going to be a new crop here and with the right squad we’ll have a really good go at next season. I’m certain he’ll get the right squad.
“I had other clubs interested but this was the place for me. Even when the other clubs came forward there was no turning back. Leeds showed an interest a month or so ago and I’ve been wanting to get it done for a while.”
Pearce’s career has been on the up and up for several years, helped by a spell at Bournemouth which saw him win promotion from League Two in 2010 and appear in a play-off semi-final the following season.
For all Portsmouth’s crises and their unavoidable descent from the Championship, the 24-year-old emerged from the wreckage of this season with his reputation intact.
The captaincy became his and seven of Portsmouth’s nine end-of-season awards came his way, allowing him to move on from Fratton Park on good terms. Warnock made no effort to hide his wide smile after the formalities were completed at Thorp Arch yesterday morning.
“I only made the step up to Championship level last season but I feel like I proved myself,” Pearce said. “I hope I did.
“I feel I can cope at this level and I didn’t want to take a backwards step at my age. League One would have been a backwards step and everyone at Portsmouth seemed to appreciate that I wanted to move on.
“But I can’t deny that it was hard to leave. We went through a lot at Portsmouth and I hold them close. I was there as a young lad. This move is for my career. I want to succeed and do well.
“The pull of Leeds United is there for a lot of players. There aren’t too many, not in this division, who wouldn’t think about coming here. I think the gaffer wants young, hungry lads who want to succeed and that’s how see myself. It’s what I’m about and I can’t wait to get started.”
Warnock’s complaints about his team were plentiful during his initial two-and-a-half months as Leeds manager: no bite, insufficient leadership and a dearth of players good enough to make the play-offs or better attainable.
The deal to sign Pearce is believed to have been arranged in principle midway through last month, and Warnock was anxious to make the defender his first summer signing, offering what he said was a recruit who “showed my intent and epitomised what I want in my players.”
The signing went through within a week of the season ending and Warnock said: “We’ve had to move this quickly.
“The retained list was out on Wednesday and that’s always a bad day but you can’t just have doom and gloom. You’ve got to let the supporters know what the plan is.
“I’ve been wanting to confirm speculation about Jason but you dice with death when you do that. Now it’s done, I’m absolutely delighted – ecstatic.
“I’ve convinced him that this is the place for him to be and he’s the first piece of the jigsaw. I want to continue building it fast.”
Pearce said: “I think everyone knows I’m a no-nonsense centre-half. I’ll put my head in where others don’t and I’ll always give 100 per cent. I’m a team player.”
