Michael Owen has taken stick from some quarters for seemingly putting England before Newcastle United, but Pedro says "I think McClaren, in the main, has people now that really want to play for their country.
"He's got a good nucleus of the right characters, and I'm confident they'll still get through to Euro 2008.
"To be fair to Frank Lampard, love him or hate him, he loves playing for his country. He turns up injured, and David Beckham has always turned up, even for friendlies.
"If people like Ashley Young or people like David Bentley get their chance on Wednesday against Russia, they're going to have to take it.
"I played against Russia - or the USSR as was - in Tibilisi in March 1986. We won over there and it was probably the game that got me to the World Cup that year.
"Then, after the game and unbeknown to everybody else, he took me aside and told me I was going to the World Cup.
"I did go, and it was incredible, but that Russia game was the big one for me.
"Chris Waddle scored the goal. I remember doing a slide tackle in the bottom corner of the pitch and crossing it. Gary Lineker stepped over it and Chris smashed it into the roof of the net. It was a brilliant win for us.
"I was lucky in respect to that Russia game that people were dropping out with injuries - Tony Woodcock dropped out, Trevor Francis dropped out, Mark Hateley dropped out . . . so it was a real chance for me.
"That's what Sir Bobby meant when he spoke to me, because the other players were tried and trusted if you like.
"Wednesday is an opportunity for somebody.
"If you remember, when Alan Shearer got into the England side, him and David Hurst made their debut together.
"Alan scored and went on from there. David Hurst didn't, and went backwards.
"Without being cruel that's the way football is. When you've got an opportunity, you've got to take it."