The midfielder keeps digging.
The furore surrounding Arsenal star Jack Wilshere’s England comments are admittedly becoming absurd, but the 21-year-old is doing himself no favours by constant back-pedalling.
The Daily Star reports that the initial question posed to the midfielder was as follows:
“Jack, there has been lots of talk over the last few days about the lad Januzaj, who is at United, in terms of playing for England in the future … with players like you, Ross Barkley and Ravel Morrison all coming through what would your view be about playing with foreign players with England, or even watching them from the bench?”
To which Wilshere’s now well covered and perhaps slightly ill-judged answer was:
“No, for me if you are English you are English and you play for England.
“The only people who should play for England are English people.
“If you live in England for five years it doesn’t make you English. You shouldn’t play … it doesn’t mean you can play for a country.
“If I went to Spain and lived there for five years I am not going to play for Spain.”
Firstly someone may want to kindly point out to the Gunners man that Chelsea ace Juan Mata struggles to get in the Spanish national side, so his chances would be limited anyway.
Secondly the jingoistic nature of the player’s response was probably unintentional, but the fact that it was said to the media was foolish.
Since being lambasted on Twitter by the likes of South African-born England cricketer Kevin Pietersen, Wilshere has been back-pedalling like crazy.
An advisor to the player should tell the midfield ace to stop and quickly, as the further the Englishman digs the worse it gets.
To be clear, never said ‘born in England’ – I said English people should play for England.
— Jack Wilshere (@JackWilshere) October 9, 2013
Great respect for people like KP, Mo Farah and Wilf Zaha – they make the country proud.
— Jack Wilshere (@JackWilshere) October 9, 2013
In a week when Wilshere was pictured smoking – again perhaps blown (ahem) out of proportion – this string of contradictions and excuses/apologies are toe-curling.
Just concentrate on playing football, England have got a couple of crucial matches to win.
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