Arsenal FC: Does Jack Wilshere Not Playing for the Under-21s Really Aid Arsenal?

Jack Wilshere is not going to play for England Under-21s this summer. Despite speculation that this was agreed on by Wilshere, the youngster was still keen to play.

Journalist Henry Winter, who was with the Arsenal protege at the time the squad was released, noted the player’s genuine frustration at his omission. Although it must be said, Wilshere did begrudgingly accept and understand the decision.

This situation has been thrashed out between Arsenal and England, above Wilshere’s head. The player wants to play and succeed for his country, at a highly prestigious tournament, but is deprived the opportunity because his club and—crucially—his employer oppose it. This certainly strikes a telling blow in the club versus country saga. 

However, forget the rights and wrongs of this morally. Just in football terms, was this right for Arsenal?

Players get injured in football all the time in an unrelenting schedule, so it is not hard to find a footballer who has played an excessive amount of games and has eventually succumbed to injury. This subsequent lay-off is often attributed to a lack of a break for the player.

Players will also slump and peak in form all the time. When a player is in peak form, he is likely to play every moment possible. Eventually, he is likely to suffer a decline to this peak form, and as he has been continually playing, this will often also be linked to the fact he has not had a break.

It is worth considering the last Under-21 championship in 2009, and particularly the case of Mesut Ozil. The young German played 47 games in 08/09 for Werder Bremen leading up to the tournament. It was a season in which Bremen were runners-up in the Bundesliga.

Over the summer, Ozil won the European Under-21 Championship. He was an integral part of a blossoming German side, and was Man of the Match in the final. Without a break, he then continued to be a central player for Bremen the following season, playing 44 games. Bremen were again successful, winning the domestic cup and reaching the final of the UEFA Cup (now Europa League).

After all of these exertions, Ozil was still able to be thrust into another whirlwind summer of international action, as he went on to star for the German national team at the 2010 World Cup. He was one of 10 nominations for the Golden Ball after the tournament. Two heavy seasons and two summers played out continuously, and each only carried Ozil further, boosting his confidence and catapulting him up higher in the game.

There are other examples of success from this most previous tournament.

James Milner went on to enjoy his best season for Aston Villa after playing in the Under-21 championship; he also went to the World Cup. Mario Balotelli, even though the tournament did not go so well him for individually, was prominent for Inter the following season. Manuel Neuer and Sami Khedira certainly drew inspiration from their summer endeavours, and turned in fine subsequent domestic seasons, before winning selection for the 2010 World Cup.

Surely Jack Wilshere would have benefited from this experience were he to have gone and enjoyed a prosperous tournament, the same way Ozil did with the German Under-21s. It could only be beneficial to Arsenal and Arsene Wenger were they to consequently see Wilshere replicate Ozil’s rapid rise in the game.

Is the risk of an injury really worth preventing this opportunity when he could suffer any injury at any time regardless? Wilshere should be given the chance to replicate the success Under-21 championship winners Petr Cech, Andrea Pirlo, Fabio Cannavaro, Laurent Blanc and Eric Cantona, to name just a few, have all achieved at Under-21 level.

Arsenal supporters will want Jack Wilshere to propel them towards some overdue silverware next season, and in turn, England supporters will want Wilshere to shine at Euro 2012. However, it seems wrong—and almost quintessentially British—to naturally assume a tournament not excessively long in format would tarnish Wilshere’s immediate future.

Wilshere would be honing his skills against players he would have become accustomed to playing against since his England school days. Surely success could have only taken his game to an even more distinguished level.

Success would have raised his status in the game and enhanced his confidence further, spurring him on to the next domestic season feeling on top of the world. This would have only aided Arsenal, seeing their young talent develop with new skills learnt playing different systems with new personnel around him, the same as his Bolton experience really accelerated his journey to the Arsenal first team.

Whilst it is understandable to take precautions with delicate talents, this seems a wasted opportunity to let a rare English talent flourish.