Arsenal teenager Theo Walcott made England’s provisional World Cup squad on Monday even though he has never played in a Premier League game.
Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson also included injured stars Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen in the 27-man roster, as well as several other players who’ve barely kicked a ball in the last few months.
Eriksson acknowledged he was taking a risk by selecting the 17-year-old Walcott, who has never played for England and who Eriksson has never seen play live.
”Maybe it is my biggest, bravest, boldest gamble,” Eriksson said. ”If you take a 17-year-old boy to the World Cup of course you cannot be sure.
”The feeling is that he is ready for it. I don’t think he will be nervous or feel the pressure.”
Walcott joined Arsenal in January from Football League Championship club Southampton when he was still 16, but has yet to play for the Gunners’ senior side.
The speedy Walcott now has the chance to break Rooney’s record as England’s youngest-ever international.
”I think he’s a great talent,” Eriksson said. ”I have 23 players, why not take a gamble?”
Rooney was 17 years, 111 days, when he came on as a substitute in a 3-1 friendly defeat to Australia in February 2003. If Walcott plays against Hungary in a World Cup warm-up on May 30, he’ll be 17 years, 75 days.
England’s World Cup opener against Paraguay will be 11 days later.
If he plays in Germany, Walcott will also be the second youngest player in World Cup history. The youngest is Northern Ireland’s Norman Whiteside, who played at the 1982 World Cup when he was 17 years, 41 days.
Pele was 17 years, 236 days when he played for Brazil in the 1958 World Cup. He’d made his international debut the year before.
Eriksson is gambling on Rooney being fit to play at some stage of the June 9-July 9 World Cup. The Manchester United striker broke a bone in his foot against Chelsea 10 days ago and is doubtful for England’s three group matches.
”I should be absolutely crazy if I did not pick Wayne Rooney if there’s a chance. I could not justify that,” Eriksson said.
England plays Paraguay on June 10, Trinidad and Tobago on June 15, and Sweden on June 20. Injured players can be replaced up to 24 hours before England’s first game.
Owen has also struggled to recover from a broken toe sustained on December 31 — he has played only 30 minutes for Newcastle in 2006.
Eriksson expects him to begin training again on Monday.
Both Owen and Walcott are expected to play in England’s last three tuneups before going to Germany — a second-tier ”B” international against Belarus on May 26, the match against Hungary and another against Jamaica on June 3.
Eriksson picked only four strikers. With Rooney out, Owen doubtful and Walcott untested, England’s attack could be led by Liverpool’s 2m Peter Crouch. The often-maligned Crouch has five caps — all in friendlies — and has only started twice for England.
Eriksson overlooked Charlton’s Darren Bent, who scored 18 goals in the Premier League this season — the most of any Englishman — and who earned his first cap in March.
Another uncapped player is Tottenham’s 19-year-old winger Aaron Lennon, who has made a big impact for Spurs this season.
Both Lennon and Walcott are likely to be used as substitutes.
”If you have a lot of pace on the bench, that’s very, very good,” Eriksson said. ”They are not familiar in the world, people don’t know that much about them at the moment.”
Defenders Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole were also named on the squad despite not being fully fit. Another surprise was the inclusion of Owen Hargreaves, who was in Eriksson’s squad at the last World Cup but has since made little impact.
Others to miss out were Tottenham defender Ledley King, who broke his foot on April 17 and Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, who had both recently played for England.
Tottenham’s Jermain Defoe was also left out but is among five backup players, along with Scott Carson, Luke Young, Nigel Reo-Coker and Andy Johnson.
Eriksson has to name his final 23-man squad by May 15.
”For me, it’s a very good squad, an interesting squad,” Eriksson said. ”At least it’s an attacking squad with a lot of pace which is what I think is necessary for World Cup,” he said.
Eriksson steps down as England manager after the World Cup and will be replaced by his assistant, Steve McClaren, who is currently in charge of Middlesbrough. – Sapa-AP