• Football

Capello: Wilshere is England's future

ESPN staff
January 28, 2011
Arsenal's Jack Wilshere: Better technically than Claude Makelele, says Fabio Capello © PA Photos
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Fabio Capello has labelled Jack Wilshere the "future" of England as he prepares to use the Arsenal starlet in the 'Makelele role' on a permanent basis.

England manager Capello will start Wilshere in the friendly wit Denmark on February 9 with a view to making him the long-term first-choice in the midfield holding position he has failed to fill since Owen Hargreaves' career was stunted by injury.

Wilshere, 19, had a short substitute appearance against Hungary in August, but he will be on from the start in Copenhagen as Capello looks to free up Steven Gerrard to push forward. Manchester City's Gareth Barry has not shone in this role, making it a problematic one in Manchester United midfielder Hargreaves' long-term absence.

"Hargreaves played this position very, very well every game,'' Capello told the Daily Telegraph. "But after the knee problem, he was never back. I put different players in there but they'd never played in this position. Barry with Aston Villa never played this position. He started to play there only with me [and now with Manchester City]. But I saw Wilshere play every game in this position.''

Capello sees Wilshere taking on a role which Claude Makelele, currently with Paris St Germain, filled for France, Chelsea and Real Madrid.

"Wilshere is better technically than Makelele. He's slower than Makelele but when he receives the ball he is more dangerous than Makelele. Wilshere is the best young player. He now plays all the time with Arsenal. If you play with Arsenal, you are a really good player because Arsene Wenger likes good players. I think he's mature enough to play this role. He's a really interesting player.

"The players will arrive really tired. They play a lot of games before this. I have to change and make six substitutions. But it will be important for Wilshere to understand he will be the future.''

Capello also revealed he was happy to see Wilshere's team-mate Theo Walcott back in action.

"He is playing how I remember when he started to play with us. It was a tough decision leaving Theo out for the World Cup. He is one of the players after the World Cup I thought about a lot. I made a mistake not selecting him.''

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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