Arsenal Football Club News

• Nickname:Gunners
• Founded:1886
• Manager:Arsene Wenger

• Ground:Emirates
• Capacity:60,432

Wenger hails mature Walcott

11 Sep 2008 - 15:40:07

Click To Enlarge

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has backed Theo Walcott to continue his improvement after watching the teenager score a brilliant hat-trick in England's magnificent World Cup qualifier in Croatia.

The Gunners star was the undoubted hero as Fabio Capello's side won 4-1 to Zagreb, to Wenger's obvious delight.

"I am not surprised because he is a player who has good timing with his runs and is a clinical finisher who can score goals.

"I always believed that he will be a fantastic player and I was never concerned - I know he can score goals and I know on the breaks he can be clinical. But for me, most of all is that he continues to develop as a team player.

"What happened yesterday we have to consider to be an exception. Even for players of 25, 26 to score three goals in an international game is a one-off. What is very good is that he has the confidence of Capello in that he plays at that level at 19 years of age.

"How good can he be? Don't set any limitations on any human being because once you have talent the rest is down to how much you want it and to how intelligent you are. I believe he is hungry in a quiet way - quiet determination - and he is intelligent.

"I listened to his interview after the game this morning and I was as pleased with his interview as with the three goals he scored. I am not sure if I had scored three goals in an international game I would have given the same interview.

"That shows he is a good analyser, clever, well balanced, with his feet on the ground. Straight away after the game he analysed the consequences of what happened to him last night and how he has to deal with that.

"I feel that is more important for his career than the three goals he scored because that shows a great sign of intelligence and maturity."

Meanwhile, Wenger has ruled out the possibility of Ghana captain Stephen Appiah moving to the Emirates Stadium.