Filed under: Arsenal, Euro 2012, Football, England Football
The battle for Jack Wilshere's services this summer left no one feeling particularly satisfied.On paper, the player's omission from Stuart Pearce's England squad at the European under-21 Championships in Denmark is a clear victory for Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal midfielder's club manager.
Wenger, though, is wise enough to understand the torment his 19-year-old player will have felt at making himself unavailable for his country at a time of life when Wilshere probably feels indestructible.
It was an agonising choice and one that came about as a direct consequence of the youngster's outstanding ability and rapid progress this season.
Over the course of nine months he has established himself as an essential component of a side competing in the Champions League and, incredibly after just one competitive start, already appears to be a feature of Fabio Capello's senior squad.
Something had to give and in this case it was Pearce's under-21 squad, rather than the player's overworked body.
Longer term, there will inevitably be concern about how the teenager handles his status.
Many prodigious young talents have faltered for any number of different reasons but in Wilshere's case, there appears to be no cause for concern. He already looks like mature beyond his years .
Wilshere has not only outgrown the Under-21s, he looks like captaincy material at Arsenal if Cesc Fabregas is granted a move away from the club and as an advocate for encouraging Capello to fasttrack more of his peers into the senior set-up, he makes an intriguing case, particularly when he states the claims of Chelsea's Josh McEachran.
In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, he said: "Josh McEachran is a great player. I hope next year he can break into the England team, like I did this year. If there is one holding, and me and him there. He's still young, so am I, but that would be a good midfield for England.
"There are players like Ashley Young, and Theo Walcott at Arsenal. He's maturing really well. People say he didn't really find the final ball but this year he's been brilliant for us. He's popped up with some goals.
"There's Andy Carroll. There's Jack Rodwell, Adam Johnson, younger players like John Bostock who haven't really had their chance yet."
Confidence has never been a problem for Wilshere and it will do other players no harm to see him progress, encouraging the belief they might soon follow although not all of the younger players are ready to leapfrog the under-21's.
Wilshere, though, looks at home in the seniors at the moment, and Capello's squad would look weaker without him.
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