Wilshere can handle schedule

Gunners starlet insists he can play through the summer

By Chris Burton   Last updated: 30th March 2011   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Wilshere can handle schedule

Wilshere: Fitter than ever

SKY SPORTS ON SKY
There's more live football on Sky Sports than ever before, including the Barclays Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Clydesdale Bank Premier League, England away Euro 2012 qualifiers and La Liga. With four live Sky Sports channels, as well as Sky Sports News, you'll never miss a moment on Sky. Click here for more.

Related links

Teams

Players

Also see

Jack Wilshere has sought to play down fears that turning out for England's U21s could leave him burnt out.

The Arsenal starlet has expressed a desire to form part of Stuart Pearce's Young Lions squad as this summer's U21 European Championships.

Concerns have been expressed as to his involvement in that tournament, with the 19-year-old having made the breakthrough at domestic and international level season.

A trip to Denmark with England would come on the back of a gruelling campaign with the Gunners and regular outings for the senior Three Lions side.

Wilshere, though, insists he is capable of handling the rigours of regular action, with it important for his development that he takes in as many games as possible.

"At the moment I feel I can keep going. I feel fitter than ever," said the midfielder.

"I've played 43 games and I feel better than ever. I believe the U21 tournament will only be good for my career.

"If you look at the Germans, the year before [2009] they won the U21 tournament and the following year they went to the World Cup with many of the same players and did well.

"It is important to start winning international tournaments early and get that mentality into you. Then hopefully you can take it onto the world stage."

Discussions

Wilshere plans to speak with Pearce, England head coach Fabio Capello and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger before deciding what path to take this summer.

He said: "I want to play. It is up to Stuart Pearce, Fabio Capello and my manager at Arsenal [Wenger].

"They will talk about it and see what is best for me. I'm always in contact with my manager at Arsenal, who has been a big part of my career, and I'll always talk to him.

"I'll be talking him over the next few weeks."

Wilshere was handed his fourth senior cap in a friendly date with Ghana on Tuesday, but is refusing to buy into the belief that he is now cemented in the side.

He said: "There are players like Stevie G (Steven Gerrard) to come back in and Frank Lampard was missing for this game.

"I'm still 19, I have to go back to my club and work hard, and put in the performances for my club and then hopefully I can get picked at international level."

Post to your View!

Be the first to post a comment on this story

Add Comment*

Send us your views

Are you a Sky Sports subscriber?

*All fields required, your email address will be kept private