Fabio Capello Continues To Heap Expectation On Jack Wilshere

Chris Wright

9th, February 2011

8 Comments

By Chris Wright

A week or so after proclaiming him to be the future of English football, the best young player in the known universe, the new (but slower) Claude Makelele and the saviour of everything that is good and holy, England manager Fabio Capello has ladled yet more crushing expectation onto Jack Wilshere’s young shoulders by directly comparing him to some of the greatest players to have ever graced the game.

So said Capello, after confirming that L’il Jack is to line up alongside captain Frank Lampard in the centre of England’s midfield against Denmark tonight:

“I know Wilshere is only 19, but I remember the best players I managed; Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Raul. They all started really young.

“It is the same talent, but people have to wait. [Wilshere] is young and needs experience in big games, like the Champions League and matches between the big teams in England.”

Capello also reiterated that he plans to mould Wilshere into a more conservative, ‘metronome-style’ midfielder on England’s run to Euro 2012:

“I know he prefers to go forward but an intelligent player can play anywhere. I used the example of Claude Makelele before, and Andrea Pirlo also started just behind the forward player but ended up playing in front of the back four.

“The thing is, he plays with confidence, never with fear, and other players have confidence in him.

“He is not playing for a team that’s trying to stay in the Premier League. It is Arsenal, second in the table. It is incredible for someone so young. A player like this has to stay with the seniors.”

Thoughts?

Posted in Arsenal, International football

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8 Comments

  1. Rich says:

    Jack Wilshere 2015, blackburn’s number 10

  2. Rich says:

    seriously though I tnik he’ll be fine as he has wenger

    now if capello was his club coach, then i’d be worried

  3. gav says:

    get rodwell in there

  4. George says:

    hmm..completely overhype a 19 year olds abilities and then play him out of position as a defensive pitbull? I predict at least one leg breaker tackle, probably on Bendtner just because the injury gods are out to get Arsene Wenger these days.

  5. Donner Meat says:

    So how is Englands 2014 World cup XI shaping up at the moment then? I’d go for something close to this:

    Hart
    Kelly/Walker Cahill Dawson Baines
    Milner Wilshere Rodwell/Henderson
    Adam Johnson A.Young
    Carroll (Rooney if he still has his legs)

  6. charley says:

    thats the problem rich, wenger is his manager and he cant manage his way out of a paper bag. how the hell can you tie a game when winning 4-0 in the 1st half, he did this shit last year too vs wigan. Wilshere needs a great manager like Fergie.

  7. MontolivoMonster says:

    @Donner Meat

    Are you joking? If anything that might by the 2018 team, but if you think that’ll be the 2014 team, you’re an idiot. For starters, Ashley Cole will still be at left-back. Considering Capello’s hard-on for Gerrard, Gerrard will probably be in the midfield even though he’ll by 33/34. Rooney is a lock to start, unless he’s injured and Glen Johnson will be at rightback.

    Do you know anything about football? Capello always claims he’ll build up the youth, but if the old guns are still available, he’ll still select them.

    So please, never post here again. Or at least learn a bit more about football.

  8. Conor O'Riordan says:

    @MontolivoMonster

    ‘Capello always claims he’ll build up the youth, but if the old guns are still available, he’ll still select them.’

    Er, hasn’t Capello always said he’d retire after Euro 2012?
    And you want Glen Johnson at Right Back?? The immensely superior Kyle Walker will be 24 when the World Cup rolls around.

    So maybe you should learn more about football and not be so patronising… prick.

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