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Club v country row set to erupt over Wilshere

ESPNsoccernet staff
March 28, 2011
Jack Wilshere has broken into the England senior team this season © Getty Images
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England are set for a row with Arsenal over the availability of Jack Wilshere for this summer's European Under-21 Championships.

Wilshere, along with Liverpool's Andy Carroll, will be expected to drop back down from the senior squad for the tournament in Denmark as manager Stuart Pearce looks to field the strongest team possible.

Two years ago in Sweden, England reached the final only to be soundly beaten 4-0 by a Germany team which included Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil. Pearce wants England to show similar intent by including their best young players.

Any plan to pick Wilshere is sure to anger Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, who blamed Theo Walcott's injury problems in the 2009-10 season on his appearance at the last Under-21 finals.

England face Switerland at Wembley on June 4 in a crucial Euro 2012 qualifier which could put Fabio Capello's side a step closer to the finals in Poland and Ukraine. Both Carroll and Wilshere will be expected to be in the full squad for that match, which comes eight days before the Under-21s' opening game against Spain in Herning. The Under-21s also have Ukraine and Czech Republic in their group.

Wenger wants his star teenager to have a summer of rest, but it seems likely he will travel to Denmark and the player himself has made it clear he will not repeat David Bentley's mistake of refusing to play for the youth team at a major finals.

Wilshere said: "Listen, this is international football and I want to play in any international football. It is up to Stuart Pearce and Fabio Capello. They will talk and see what is best for me. I always speak to the manager at Arsenal and I will again. I am sure Stuart and Fabio will talk to him as well."

Capello added: "The European Under-21s is a really important tournament. This is a decision for Stuart Pearce and the manager of Arsenal. Wilshere is playing a lot of games this season. He is a really important player for Arsenal. Now he is very important for us. But also for the Under-21s. Wilshere wants to play, I can tell you."

He added on Carroll: "Carroll didn't play for two months and it is possible it is good for him to play more games."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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