Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger
admits it is a possibility that teenager Jack Wilshere could
represent England at the 2010 World Cup.
Wilshere, 16, has caught the eye this season after making his
first three senior appearances for the Gunners, scoring once in the
Carling Cup.
And Wenger concedes the midfielder could follow team-mate Theo
Walcott, who received a shock call-up to the England setup in
2006.
The French coach said in The Sun: "Theo was only 17
when he went to the last World Cup and had never played a single
Premier League game.
"Wilshere will be 18 by 2010 and will have played for us in the
league and in the UEFA Champions League. So you cannot rule out the
possibility of him going to the World Cup.
"I believe the Football Association has already decided the
first step for him is to move up to the Under 21s next year and see
how he deals with that.
"We have to assess the situation in two years but he is a very
passionate and determined boy and very strong physically, even
though he is quite small."
Wenger went on to reiterate that he will not rush Wilshere's
development as he looks to ease him into the pressures of
first-team football.
He continued: "I think we did the right thing with Theo. Until
you are 19 you cannot be considered as a regular.
"The only exception to that rule was Cesc Fabregas, but he had a
very mature game at a very young age.
"From 16 to 19 is a very important period in a player's
development. The level of expectation becomes very high and you
have to show that you are ready to deal with that pressure.
"You can put a boy of 16 under too much pressure and that can
kill their freedom and their appetite for the game.
"Right now Jack Wilshere can play a game or two in the first-
team but he is not ready to play week-in, week-out at a consistent
level. The demands in this league are too high."