With this season’s Premier League season building to an explosive climax, it’s important not to overlook the home-grown talent helping to make the greatest show on Earth such a scintillating spectacle.
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| Wayne Rooney |
Of this home-grown talent, the up-and-coming players seem to be making a big impact at an earlier age every season. Wayne Rooney made his England debut aged 17, a record broken by Theo Walcott by 36 days a few years later.
Most recently Jack Wilshere has been the teen sensation to inspire the watching nation. The 19-year-old Arsenal playmaker made his England name aged 18, and has been widely tipped as an England captain of the future. Tenacious and creative, he has established himself as a mainstay in the heart of the Arsenal midfield this season with a series of consistent performances.
Since making his club debut aged 16, Wilshere has gone on to accumulate 48 Premier League appearances, with performances belaying his tender age. Equally adept when deployed as a pacey winger or in a deeper central role, his ability to read the game and dictate the tempo remains his strongest asset.
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| Exciting: Wilshere |
He’s not adverse to publicity or controversy, however. In the past he’s gotten into trouble over allegations of assault, and most recently he’s been embroiled in a club vs country row. His passion to play for England has led to a call-up for the U21 European Cup campaign in the summer, and he has promised to honour the nod despite Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s concerns.
Wenger is worried that Wilshere could ‘burn out’ and succumb to fatigue, ruining his preparations for next season. “Why do you produce a youth system?” Wenger asks. “it is to get them [players] ready for the first team. Once they play in the first team, your job has been done, so you can promote other players.”
Wilshere, who has 4 senior caps, is joined in the team selection by £35 million striker Andy Carroll, who recently scored his first international goal.
“If I’m selected, I’ll play for the under-21s... I will never say no to my country.”-Wilshere.
Promising talent that he is, Wilshere has collected many accolades in his short career to date. This season he has been named in the Premier League Team of the Year, and is the PFA Young Player of the Year.
The senior award meanwhile was presented to Tottenham winger Gareth Bale. The 21-year-old has been in tremendous form, as recognised by the prestigious award previously handed out to Premier League luminaries such as Ryan Giggs, Alan Shearer, and Thierry Henry. Bale and Wilshere were the youngest players to be named in this season’s Team of the Year.
While pondering the next generation of Britain’s best footballers, HardingSports have put together our own team of Under-23 British talent for you to savour.
GK Joe Lewis - 23, Peterborough United
RB Micah Richards - 22, Man City, English
CB Chris Smalling - 21, Man Utd, English
CB Danny Wilson - 19, Liverpool, Scotland 3 caps/ 1 goal
LB Kieran Gibbs - 21, Arsenal, England 2 caps
CM Jack Wilshere - 19, Arsenal, England 4 caps
CM Aaron Ramsey - 20, Arsenal, Wales Captain, 12 caps/ 2 goals,
CAM John Fleck - 19, Rangers, Scottish
LW Gareth Bale - 21, Tottenham Hotspur, Wales 27 caps/ 3 goals
RW Alex Chamberlain - 17, Southampton, English
CF Theo Walcott - 22, Arsenal, England 16 caps/ 3 goals
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