Corey Kenny
Being a 20-year-old with a kid aged nine months old can’t be easy. That is unless your name's Jack Wilshere. He's one of the finest young talents around, has the world at his feet, and is worth every plaudit he has received in his short career thus far. Especially the comparison to the great Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne.
Everything sounds good for this lad, that is unless you chuck in football's greatest twist - a long term injury.
In a season in which he received the accolades Arsenal's Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year, he was also in the PFA Team of the Year, scored his first Arsenal goal, won his first England cap, and became a household name. The next season seemed to be full of hope and promise for Jack Wilshere.
He seemed destined to fill the gap at Arsenal left by Cesc and be part of a midfield trio of Scott Parker and Steven Gerrard that would lead England into Euro 2012. Nothing could stop the rise of England's answer to Xavi… except for a persistent ankle injury which was initially a one-month lay-off and has now become an injury that has ruled him out for the season and the European Championships, much to every Gooner's disappointment.
A few hours after the Wigan defeat, Wenger announced this news and, within minutes, I saw, on several forums, fans jumping for joy that he wouldn't be part of the England team in the summer and that this would mean he'd be ready for the 2012\2013 campaign.
That just doesn't sit right with me. I find it ludicrous that Arsenal fans would be happy that one of our players would be missing out on the chance to represent their country at the Euros. Seeing England play should be a hype the whole country enjoys and, for me, when one of your own is playing in it, it only adds to the occasion. I don't think 'Oh no Jack\Theo are playing; what if they get injured?'
Representing your country is the greatest honour in the world, so for certain fans to be glad Jack will be missing out on that is, dare I say it, selfish. There are just as many fans calling for the rampant Ox to miss out on the Euros because Arsenal don't need any injuries, or because he's too young, as there are those calling for Steve Pearce to select him.
Age should not determine whether you are picked or not, nor should we Arsenal fans be negative towards our own players playing for England. I know we're supposed to follow the stereotype of 'it doesn't matter what club they're from; once they pull on the national shirt they play for England not their club'. Which is entirely true, but you can't even mention how good Bobby Moore was without a West Ham fan almost instinctively saying 'He played for West Ham, you know'. It’s just how proud they are that arguably the greatest English centre-back in history played for their club.
I ask you this question, setting the scene first. England 1: Germany 1, Euro 2012 Final. The clock reads 90 minutes and the fourth official has just held up the board to indicate three minutes added on. Steven Gerrard gets the ball in midfield, looks up, sees Jermaine Defoe in acres of space, looking to be played through on goal, and so is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the other side of the pitch. Who would you rather Gerrard plays through on goal, to score the winning goal?
The huge majority would now be saying Chamberlain. Why? Because we love our Arsenal players. Through all their faults we love them, so instead of some of us being negative towards our own representing England (and their respective countries too), let's embrace it and cheer them on till our throats go dry like we used to do, instead of being fearful they might pick up an injury. What I call for is for us fans to celebrate our players being called up for international duty and not worry about things beyond our control.
