? Wilshere picked for European Under-21 Championships
? Carroll, Welbeck and Henderson also in provisional squad
Stuart Pearce has likened Jack Wilshere's enthusiasm to that of a young Paul Gascoigne after risking the wrath of Ars�ne Wenger by confirming the Arsenal midfielder as a member of his provisional 40-man squad for next month's European Under-21 Championships.
Wilshere is joined by Liverpool's Andy Carroll in the initial party, along with four other senior internationals ? Danny Welbeck, Jordan Henderson, Micah Richards and Kieran Gibbs ? for the tournament in Denmark. Pearce had twice attempted to contact Wenger, who fears that the 19-year-old could be affected by burnout, before naming his squad and still hopes to explain his reasoning personally to the Arsenal manager.
There will be no concessions given to Wenger in those discussions, meaning Wilshere ? who has expressed his desire to feature ? could end up playing 61 matches in his first full season as a first-team player. "I will speak with Ars�ne Wenger because of the number of games Jack's played this season," said Pearce. "But I've got my own thoughts as to what the squad will be. If that involves Jack, then any conversation I have with his club manager will not influence my thinking on that.
"I had a conversation with Jack a month ago and asked him: 'You've played a lot of games, what are your thoughts on the summer?' He wants to go because he likes playing for the Under-21s. So it would be hard for me to turn around to him and say: 'Have a rest, son'. We're going into a major tournament against some very good nations. They'll be turning up with their best players. We want to turn up with ours."
Wenger has suggested Wilshere, who has four senior caps and will feature in Fabio Capello's full squad for the Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland on 4 June before the junior finals, would need a month off on his return from Denmark which will set him back in terms of match fitness for the new season, rendering him doubtful for the autumn international friendly against Holland.
"That's concern from an Arsenal manager who wants to preserve his young player, and I can understand where he's coming from," said Pearce, who pointed to Spain's Bojan Krkic and Juan Mata as players who have coped with the weight of games and will play in the finals. "Ars�ne's priority is to be successful for Arsenal and however many hundreds of thousands of supporters they have. Mine is to be successful with the Under-21s and make sure these players step up on the international stage.
"What I can tell these young players is: 'Play football'. The beauty with Wilshere is that he loves football. He reminds me of Gascoigne. That underpins him and it underpins all the great players ? they don't do it for a means to an end. They do it because they love playing football."
Carroll's inclusion may prompt similar concern at Liverpool given the �35m striker's injury problems this term, and the forward is expected to be retained in the final 23-man party to be named on 1 June. "I'll sit and look at the make-up of the squad and then pick my 23," said Pearce. "I won't do it for any cosmetic reasons, I won't do it to appease managers. I'll do it because they're the right and proper decisions to make."
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/may/03/jack-wilshere-england-under-21-arsenal
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