Michael Mancienne has turned his attention to England Under-21 duty after making an impressive start to the season with QPR.

The Chelsea loanee is in Stuart Pearce's squad for tonight's friendly against Romania at Ashton Gate.

Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk, Mancienne said: "It was an aim of mine to get a call-up, but it's come earlier than I expected.

"I'm confident in my own ability and if I get the chance I'm sure I can do a job for England."

Mancienne's team-mate Dexter Blackstock has also been called up to Pearce's new-look squad ahead of tonight's friendly.

The team will be looking to continue the good form showed during the summer's European Championships in Holland, where they reached the semi-final stages.

Pearce was hugely impressed with the performance of his team in Holland, but admits it still hurts to have come home without a trophy.

"Now we have to go one step further and win the tournament," he told www.thefa.com.

"A lot of people said they took pride from watching the Under-21 squad this summer and that's the best compliment these players could have.

"We have the nucleus of seven or eight players from that squad and now we have to build on it."

Elsewhere, R's striker Danny Nardiello is preparing for Wales' international friendly against Bulgaria on Wednesday.

John Toshack's side will use the match as a warm-up ahead of their Euro 2008 qualifier with Germany in Cardiff on Saturday 8th September, followed by a trip to face Slovakia four days later.