Filed under: Arsenal, Euro 2012, Premier League, Football, England Football
Arsene Wenger is convinced those in the Football Association who believe England can follow the Germany route to glory are misguided as Jack Wilshere once again became the focus of the Frenchman's antipathy to international commitments.Wilshere, 19, has been drafted in to the England Under-21 squad for June's European Championship finals, which will be held in Denmark, and very much against his club manager's wishes as Wenger is convinced the player would then be prevented from getting enough rest before the 2011-12 Premier League season begins.
The England senior team, of which Wilshere has now established himself as a member, also have important Euro 2012 qualifiers at the start of next season and Wenger has made sure his Cassandra-style warnings of woe reached the ears of Fabio Capello and everyone else at FA headquarters.
The FA are keen to emulate the Germany success of 2009 when they won the European Championship finals - at England's expense - and then promoted a number of young players to the senior side, most notably Mesut Ozil and Thomas Muller, who went on to excel in the 2010 World Cup finals, also at England's expense.
But Wenger was ready to shoot down that particular argument ahead of Sunday's potentially season-ending trip to Stoke in the Premier League.
"I hear many times a comparison with the German players that I find completely inaccurate," he said. "First of all, the German players, when they went to the tournament they had not played the number of games Wilshere has played this season. Secondly, in Germany there is a massive winter break that allows everybody to start very rested in February. So you cannot compare the two situations.
"I can see it from his point of view. I called (England Under-21 coach) Stuart Pearce and explained to him why I am against it. And I told him as well that, at the end of the day, I will respect the decision of the FA. I think it is better than the other way round, to say it is right but think it is wrong."
Wilshere had made it clear he wanted to represent his nation in Denmark, even though he knew of Wenger's disapproval and the Frenchman made it clear he would hold no grudge against his player.
"I personally believe it is not Jack Wilshere's decision, it is the federation's decision because only the federation can master this decision," Wenger said. "The federation has to act in a responsible way. You cannot ask Jack Wilshere 'do you want to play?' and think he will say 'no'? I don't think that's realistic.
"I am happy he wants to play every single game for his country but the consequences raised by his playing for his country will be for England. I would never say he should not play for his country. I don't feel I have the right to do that. I am not English and I educate English players to play for their country if they can.
"But I would ask Fabio Capello to consider the consequences of a boy who is 19-years-old and has played 50 games for next season. I feel the youth system is there to promote players to the top team. Once they are in the top team it is only to win a tournament that they can be helpful."
We will soon find out whose theory holds the most water but the risk for Wilshere is plain: he could end up playing many times for his country at two different levels - and not much for his club. Yet that could be a good thing in the long run, as it would keep him fresh for the second half of the season, and no doubt Wenger has been plotting such a scenario already.
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