• Wenger upset at Jack Wilshere's expected England U21
call-up
• Cesc Fábregas told to deliver trophies with Arsenal
Arsène
Wenger has warned Fabio Capello and
Stuart Pearce to expect a backlash if Andy
Carroll were to be stood down from the
England Under-21 squad for the European Championship next
month.
The Arsenal manager
is upset that Jack Wilshere looks set to be named in Pearce's
23-man squad for the finals in Denmark, which take place between 11
and 25 June, despite his having graduated to Capello's senior team.
Wilshere, who has made 54 appearances for club and country at all
levels this season, is expected to play for Capello's side in the
Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland on 4 June.
Wenger has warned of the dangers of burnout but his ire would
deepen if Liverpool
succeeded in withdrawing Carroll from the squad, on the basis that
the knee problem that has held him back in recent weeks would
benefit from a summer of rest. Carroll, the £35m January signing
from Newcastle United, who is also a full international, has made
31 appearances this season.
Liverpool are lobbying for Carroll to be excused from the
tournament in Denmark and, amid the toing and froing, the Football
Association was forced to say Pearce's final squad announcement
would not be until next Monday, after the final round of Premier
League fixtures. The governing body had hoped to publish the list
of names on Thursday.
"Pearce will be concerned to leave Carroll behind," Wenger said,
"and I don't think he will do it because that is opening the doors
for any other complaints behind that. Players react like: 'If he
doesn't go, why do I go?' That could be a dangerous game to leave
Carroll behind. It could create many other problems. I would not be
the first on the phone but there would be no logic in the attitude
of the selection.
"I could understand if Carroll doesn't go for injury problems
but for fatigue problems ... it would be more difficult to convince
people in England that he is more tired than Jack Wilshere."
Wenger announced on Thursday morning that he knew that Wilshere
was in Pearce's squad and, although he continues to hope
that there could be a change of heart, prompted by his pressure, he
intends to plan for the beginning of next season without the
19-year-old.
In an attempt to guard against burnout, he will give Wilshere
four weeks of complete rest, calculated from the day that the
Under-21s exit the Championship, and he said the midfielder would
then need at least three weeks of pre-season work before he could
consider selecting him.
The semi-finals in Denmark are scheduled for 22 June; the final
for 25 June and the new Premier League season will kick-off on 13
August. Wenger said the senior England team "know Jack will not be
available for the friendly" on 10 August against Holland at
Wembley. "Jack will be very unlikely to start the season for us,"
said Wenger, who feels that the decision to take Wilshere to
Denmark is a "risk for Jack's health".
Wenger, meanwhile, has told Cesc Fábregas that Arsenal's
trophy-free season does not offer him the excuse to leave for
Barcelona, the midfielder's former club and perennial suitors.
"What guarantees you that if you go somewhere else, you win
trophies?" Wenger said. "I believe that the biggest pride for a
captain is to be committed to his club and deliver trophies with
his team.
"A player who changes clubs every time when he is frustrated or
when he does not win a trophy goes nowhere. I believe that the
quality of a sports life is to be committed to your club and not
just move out when it doesn't go as well as expected.
"I expect Cesc to be here. We will fight very hard to keep him
here. You have always to fight when you have a player of that
quality. You have always to fight to keep the players, of
course."