Jack Wilshere’s England career was on and off as injuries cost him multiple caps and the ex-Arsenal star admits some will deem him lucky to have played at two major tournaments
Jack Wilshere is proud of his England career, but injuries cost hm dear
Former Arsenal star Jack Wilshere admits there’s an argument he “shouldn’t have been in England squads” that went to major tournaments with his international career marred by injuries.
The former Gunner burst onto the scene as a teenager and made his England debut in August 2010 at the age of 18. There was huge excitement over what he could deliver on the international stage, but a lack of fitness restricted him to just 34 caps.
That didn’t stop him from playing at the World Cup in 2014 and the Euros two years later. Wilshere had the faith of then boss Roy Hodgson, who was prepared to pick the Arsenal midfielder even if he had lacked minutes in the months leading up to those tournaments.
Wilshere’s quality wasn’t in doubt, but fitness meant he was never playing his best when it came to representing the Three Lions on the international stage. He played in the infamous 2-1 loss to Iceland and the player himself admits that some will oppose him being selected.
The told The Telegraph: “I look back on my England career and those 34 caps could easily have been 75 – even if you cut down half the injuries. I look back with pride. I went to the World Cup and I went to the Euros. Probably didn’t get the best out of me because both were off the back of a season with bad injuries, but I had a coach in Roy Hodgson who I really liked.
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“Arguably, I shouldn’t have been in those squads, but he trusted me. Sometimes I look back and think of what might have been. But I have really good memories of scoring two goals (against Slovenia in June 2015); of having a run in the team as a No 6. I loved that. So, yeah, frustrating, but also really proud.”
Wilshere would only score twice for his country, both of those screamers in a comeback win against Slovenia. Both goals saw the former Arsenal man take aim from range, with both strikes ending up in the top corner.
Injury ultimately stopped Wilshere from ever reaching his true potential and he’s now a manager at Luton. He’s watching on as the next Arsenal academy product, Max Dowman, grabs the headlines. The 16-year-old recently became the Premier League’s youngest ever scorer.
And Wilshere would take him to the World Cup – insisting other nations wouldn’t hold him back. “The only thing I would say is, Spain would take him. That’s what I think,” he said.
“We have this way at times in England of building them up but then protecting them. You get caught in that (place): ‘If he goes what will people say?’ He (Dowman) is definitely good enough. Even if he goes and he doesn’t play that much. Which I think he can. I think he is good enough.”
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