Gerrard: Let Jack and Andy decide
Published 23:01 30/03/11 By John Cross
Steven Gerrard believes Jack Wilshere should have the final say on whether he plays in the under 21 Euros.
Arsenal midfielder Wilshere and Gerrard’s Liverpool teammate Andy Carroll, now established as key members of the senior squad, are wanted by England chief Fabio Capello under 21 boss Stuart Pearce for the finals in Denmark in June.
That has put the the players and FA on a collision course with the club managers who fear they face burn-out but Gerrard, capped 89 times and captain at the 2010 World Cup, says the final decision should rest with the players.
“Tournament experience is vital when you’re that age," he said.
“It’s a difficult one and I’ve got to be careful that I don’t upset my own manager Kenny Dalglish and Arsene Wenger.
“The important thing is that the FA speak to the two managers and the two players themselves and we go from there.
“The players have to have an input. It’s their bodies. If they say they definitely want to play, they should be able to play. But if they have an injury, a niggle or have maybe played too much, you have to take that into consideration.
“It’s about communication between the managers, the FA, the England manager and the players themselves. Then a decision can be made.”
