They are emotions with which wingers of the 1990s were well acquainted, but Steven Taylor has revealed how a combination of fear and respect for Stuart Pearce, the head coach, has helped the England Under-21s to fine-tune their professionalism to the point where they will be among the favourites to win next summer's European Under-21 Championship finals in Sweden.

Having come within an epic shoot-out of reaching the final in the Netherlands last year, when he was operating on a part-time basis, Pearce is convinced that he has a squad with a greater depth of talent and more integral support from Fabio Capello and the seniors. The former England left back will attend the draw in Gothenburg on December 3 optimistic that his players, who overcame Wales 5-4 on aggregate after a 2-2 draw at Villa Park on Tuesday to qualify from their play-off, need fear no nation.

Taylor admits that fear does come into the reckoning when the players listen to Pearce. The player formerly known as “Psycho” has become a coach able to convey his requirements with clarity and calmness but his captain in the under-21s camp concedes that no one dares miss his message. Pearce, after all, learnt his trade under the mercurial management style of Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest.

“There's nothing better than having someone like Stuart Pearce in the dressing-room,” Taylor, the Newcastle United defender, said. “He's got that aura about him. The lads listen. He might frighten some people when he does talk but he gets so much respect.

“I've seen games in the Premier League when the manager shouts and some players don't listen. But when Stuart Pearce shouts on to the pitch, it's amazing how many heads turn. Every game, he demands so much. We set ourselves high standards in training. If standards drop, he makes sure he gets his point across. He's never satisfied. There's no one better to learn from than someone who has been there and done it.”

Pearce is discerning with his tactical instructions. He does not overload the players and they buy into what he asks of them. Tom Huddlestone, for instance, may have stood still at club level, lackadaisically failing to establish himself in a struggling Tottenham Hotspur midfield, but he plays for the under-21s with an athleticism and desire to match his undisputed talent.

On Tuesday, after opening the scoring, such commitment overspilt with one ferocious tackle that merited a red card and means that he will be suspended for the opening game of the tournament next June.

Huddlestone was also dismissed in the quarter-final with Serbia in last year's finals. The indiscipline cost him a place in the semi-final, which Holland won 13-12 on penalties before going on to beat Serbia in the final.

Taylor recalls the pain - both physical and emotional - of that night in Heerenveen, when the host nation equalised in the last minute to force extra time, as a source of intense motivation. With all three substitutes used, the central defender hobbled his way through extra time with a severe ankle injury and, barely able to walk, was not going to take his penalty in the ensuing shoot-out until Foppe de Haan, the Holland coach, called him a coward.

“If I didn't take the penalty, people would have been asking questions why not,” Taylor said. “It was for my team-mates as well. Everyone else had taken penalties and I was named as the tenth taker. So opposition managers can call me anything they want. It was a great feeling when it hit the back of the net, a massive relief, but it was a kick in the teeth because we didn't win the shoot-out.

“It's made me more hungry. The players involved know you don't get many chances. I'm lucky, this will be my second chance. The quality in our dressing-room is unbelievable. The pace and power is amazing. Other countries will probably see us as a big threat. We're one of the favourites for the competition. Why should we fear anybody? There's no one out there we do fear.” Except, occasionally, their head coach.