Gareth Southgate painted a sorry picture of English football when he claimed there have been no world class midfielders since Paul Gascoigne.
Southgate claimed Gazza was the only England midfielder capable of running a game at the highest level to come along in the past 50 years.
It was a frustrated cry for help from the Three Lions’ boss desperate for a naturally talented midfield general.
Which begs the question why English football is not producing gifted players of that of calibre anymore.
West Ham ’s England international Jack Wilshere was supposed to be the bright new hope when he emerged at Arsenal — the best midfielder of his generation. But injuries have held him back.
And Wilshere, 26, believes some of today’s academy graduates lack an “edge” and need to go out on loan rather than settle for the less pressurised environment of reserve football.
“I think there are different ways of coming through, just as you’ve seen with Jamie Vardy,” said Wilshere. “Maybe some players don’t learn to get that edge, that tough streak.
“I was in an academy from a young age age but I always had that edge. But then again, I played on the streets with my brother and older boys.”
Last year’s England’s under-17s World Cup winning team may provide the future but the World Cup squad included the likes of Jamie Vardy, Harry Maguire and Nick Pope who worked their way up through the lower leagues.
“Maybe the academies can make you take things for granted. Everything is perfect for you – you’re not playing on bad, frozen pitches in January. I don’t think the under-23s gives you it either.
“Some people are born with that edge but I also think you’ve got to be careful with your coaching.
“I saw some players who want to get stuck in, some players want to run with it and it seems that in England, you’re not supposed to run with the ball and some coaches are keen to knock that our of their game. I think that’s big, that’s important.”
Wilshere is developing his own interest in coaching for the future and has been supportive of former Gunners coach Paul Johnson who has set up NCF London football coaching to help bring through more kids.
He added: “I saw Southgate talk about Gazza, and how he was so confident that when he played it was as if he was playing with his mates. It’s hard to get that and not many players have got that confidence.
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“A lot of it comes down to that, maybe a little bit of pressure that comes from playing for England in big games.
“I always enjoy playing for England, I was never scared. I especially enjoyed it under (Roy) Hodgson, with me in that deeper role. I could control the game. That was my best as an England player. I think a bit of confidence and you will see players express themselves more.
“I think we are producing enough technical players, but it comes down to almost having a bit of arrogance on the pitch, that confidence to show what you can do.
“You don’t want players doing silly things but it’s good to be in a relaxed state of mind where they can just enjoy their football, block out everything and enjoy their football.”
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