Brady buoyed by England call-ups

09 August 2010 17:44
iam Brady feels Kieran Gibbs and Jack Wilshere's England call-ups are testament to the hard work done at the Arsenal Academy.[LNB] Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has often been criticised for a lack of home-grown English players in his first-team squad.[LNB]However, Arsenal now have three representatives in the current Three Lions senior squad ahead of the friendly with Hungary at Wembley on Wednesday night, with Theo Walcott - signed by Wenger as a 16-year-old - also recalled after being a controversial omission from the World Cup.[LNB]Full-back Ashley Cole, who left Arsenal for Chelsea in the summer of 2006, is another England international who came through the Gunners youth ranks.[LNB]Midfielder Henri Lansbury is the England Under-21 squad for the game against Uzbekistan at Bristol, while defender Thomas Cruise has just returned from the European Under-19 Championships. Both Benik Afobe and Chuks Aneke were in action for the Under-17s earlier in the summer.[LNB]Brady, the club's head of youth development, feels the recognition can only be good for Arsenal's future development.[LNB]"It reflects very well for the academy to have two players picked for England - and remember we [developed] Ashley Cole as well," Brady said on the club's official website.[LNB]"It is great news for Jack and for Kieran and I am sure they will handle it very well.[LNB]"When I didn't see them in the England Under-21 squad I thought they would make the senior side.[LNB]"It seems Capello is making a statement that he wants to bring new blood in. "

Source: Team_Talk