Stuart Pearce would give anything for the chance to pull the Three Lions onto his chest again and have a shot at revenge over Germany on Sunday.

All the talk of Italia 90 and Euro 96 ahead of the last 16 clash in Bloemfontein is a reminder that within Fabio Capello's coaching staff there is a man who feels the pain more acutely than most.

The man nicknamed 'Psycho' famously broke down in tears when he missed a fateful spot-kick in Turin two decades ago as England lost the World Cup semi-final.

Six years later, his manic celebrations at converting from the spot are an indelible memory of the last major tournament played on English soil.

Not that it affected the result, as Germany went on to reach the final, where they defeated the Czech Republic with a golden goal.

But the games are a reminder for Pearce of what he will be missing when he takes his place next to Capello in the dug-out.

"The pitch is the only place to be," Pearce told www.thefa.com.

"Sometimes as a coach or a manager when you are wrestling with your nerves, you realise the best place is on the pitch letting off a bit of steam against the opposition.

"Make no mistake, being a coach does not replicate being a player.

"Fabio will be kicking every ball as I will on the touchline, but when the whistle goes you have to hand it over to eleven people to do the work for the country - hopefully they'll be good enough to do that."

Although it does not seem Pearce is too keen to discuss his own experiences against Germany, he does accept that history suggests spot-kicks may be required this weekend.

It is something he had a further experience of three years ago, when England lost their European Under-21 Championship semi-final to hosts Holland.

And he would not be at all surprised to see the England players lining up to take more spot-kicks on Sunday.

"Penalties always come into my mind," he said.

"We prepared two years in advance with the Under-21s and the players have been practising here, the integral takers especially.

"It is important we know in our minds that from 1-23 who our best penalty takers are.

"If we are going to go all the way to the final I really believe we will have to win a shoot out."

Pearce will hope desperately that England are not going to bow out at German hands as they did at Italia 90.

However, he can see parallels with how the tournament is shaping up for the Three Lions.

Then, as now, England started with a couple of draws before beating Egypt in their final group game to advance.

It took David Platt's last-gasp effort against Belgium to take them further, by which time a nation was in a state of high excitement and inside the camp, confidence was soaring.

"This campaign mirrors 1990," he said.

"We probably weren't particularly fluent in the group stages either but we got better as it went on.

"The longer we were in the tournament the more the confidence grew within the camp, the standard of play improved and improved.

"It is only if you have been there as a player or a coach or a manager that you can understand what the players are going through.

"Perhaps people were getting a little bit fidgety about our first two performances, but you have to put a level tilt on that.

"There is nothing to panic about."