Whilst the drama of the England squad announcement was diluted by the steady drip of leaks throughout the day, the decision to drop Theo Walcott still comes as something of a shock. Since his hatrick against Croatia in September 2008, Theo has been a regular favourite of Fabio Capello. Only a couple of months ago the Italian called the Arsenal winger an “important player”, and starts in England’s two warm-up friendlies seemed to confirm Walcott’s seat on the plane to South Africa.
Not so. It emerges than instead of attempting to settle Walcott in to the first XI, Capello was offering a stage from which to stake one final claim for a place in the squad. An injury hit season has halted the youngster’s progress, but Capello is man of faith: Walcott’s role in England’s qualification earned him a chance for a reprieve. He would have wanted the player to seize the opportunity. Capello will be as disappointed as anyone at what he actually saw.
The decision to promote Walcott, almost two years ago now, was one of the pivotal moments of Capello’s time as England manager. His pace and direct running saw him move ahead of David Beckham in the pecking order, providing balance to the side and allowing the manager to field Steve Gerrard as a narrow left-midfielder. The brief to Walcott was simple: provide an overlap, exploit space, and deliver crosses for the two forwards. The fact is that recently Walcott has not done any of those jobs sufficiently well.
Some will say dropping Walcott on the back of two friendlies is unfair. The truth is that had he played well in those games, selecting him would have been just as unsubstantiated. His form over the course of the season does not justify inclusion. Can you remember a significant moment Walcott produced for Arsenal this season? Can you remember a major positive contribution for England since that night in Zagreb?
Walcott is a player who is both a beneficiary and victim of our ‘hype’ culture. The attention he receives, both commercially and from the likes of Capello, is due in large part to a reputation that stems from the stratospheric rise he experienced as a teenager and the fact that he is cartoonishly quick. His technical ability still trails behind that of many of his rivals.
Oliver Kay of The Times said that last night Capello was toying with the idea of leaving Aaron Lennon at home. In the end, Lennon’s superior form and greater versatility seem to have won the day. Shawn Wright-Phillips is the arguably surprising beneficiary of Walcott’s exclusion; Adam Johnson, Man City’s promising left-footer, will join Walcott in hoping future World Cup’s bring greater fortune.
After being the shock inclusion in the 2006 World Cup Squad, being the shock exclusion this summer isn’t the kind of progress Walcott will have targeted. Five years in to his senior career, it’s hard to pick out a period of extended good form. There have been moments, doubtless – flashes of instinctive ability – but it has never translated in to anything approaching consistency.
His only option now, ironically given much of the criticism of his playing style, is to get his head down. His international place has gone, and his club place is under threat too – even when fit he often found himself on the Arsenal bench, usurped by the likes of Emmanuel Eboue and Tomas Rosicky. The reputation that has both buffered and buffeted him throughout the last five years is now in limbo – he finally has a chance to escape it. Walcott has to learn that a match is about ninety minutes, not one blistering sprint, and at 21 he’d also be well-advised that his career doesn’t have to be defined by this moment.
Walcott has the luxury of being at a club who’ve already shown tremendous patience with him. If anything, perhaps he has been a little too comfortable. Maybe now he has the motivating factor he needs to fulfill his potential.
