Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has implored everyone not to put too much pressure on youngster Jack Wilshere, who is expected to be named in the squad against Norwich after his agent posted a message on Twitter, saying his client was travelling to Carrow Road.
England under-21 Stuart Pearce recently said he would consider taking Wilshere to the European championships in Israel next summer in a bid to win the trophy, a comment that has not gone down too well with an understandably overprotective Wenger. "Let's wait until Jack comes back," he said. "He has not played in the first team for 14 months.
"Do you know what that is like, 14 months out of competition? He works very hard. He is doing well but let's not go too far.
"I never believe that a player, once he has gone up to the top team, plays well with the Under 21s," Wenger added. "It does not exist -- I have not got one example.
"That's why I believe England has to make a decision -- is Jack in the first team and not in the Under-21s?"
Wenger also believes relying on one player to turn the country's fortunes around is not a good sign. "The fate of the country should never turn to one player," he said. "You have to have many good players and if you have to wait until one player comes back that means something is wrong.
"If Spain are world champions and European champions it's because they are spoilt for choice. If Cazorla is not fit, Fabregas plays. If Fabregas is not fit, Iniesta plays. That for me is the biggest problem you have in England.
"Even a player like Arteta doesn't get called up for Spain and once you have a problem like that in England, you will not need to go bonkers for anybody."
Wenger said Wilshere will most probably play his first competitive senior game for 14 months in the League Cup game against Reading in Oct. 30, while again urging caution when it comes to the talented playmaker.
"There are two aspects (to the recovery)," Wenger said. "One is the apprehension to go into challenges when you have too many injuries.
"On that front we are at 100 percent. We even have to calm him down. He goes for every challenge and has no apprehension.
"Then you have the physical front -- he is okay there. Then you have the match fitness -- that is 80 percent. He needs one more game, maybe Monday night with the reserves (against Everton), I don't know. Then he should be back."
