Theo Walcott, the Arsenal winger, has insisted that he is not disheartened at being demoted from Fabio Capello’s stalwart to a substitute under Roy Hodgson and has vowed to win his place in the England first XI back from James Milner.
In both his games in charge, the England manager has preferred the more defensively minded Manchester City player for the right-wing slot that Walcott occupied under the Italian and intimated after the 1-0 win over Belgium on Saturday that the Arsenal player had failed to make the most of “plenty of chances” in the team.
Walcott, ever diplomatic, is keen to play down any suggestion that his relegation to the substitutes’ bench indicates a lack of faith from the new man in charge.
“Everyone’s role is up for grabs,” he said. “There is always competition in any team. You have to train well and when you are given the opportunity, you have to take it. If you come off the bench, it’s what you do on the pitch that matters.
“We are a team playing without any fear and when players come off the bench they want to grab that opportunity. I’ve had the hamstring problem at the end of the season and I’m starting to ease my way back into it now. I’m training hard and I feel great. I am looking after myself and hopefully I can show a bit more of that in a starting role [against France].”
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Even the absence of Wayne Rooney — suspended for the first two games of the European Championship finals — cannot undermine Walcott’s confidence as he prepares to meet his team-mates at Luton airport tomorrow.
Although the Manchester United striker’s inclusion in the squad, despite his enforced omission for the fixtures against France and Sweden, is a sign of his significance to Hodgson’s plans, Walcott does not believe it is the case that Rooney will start the final group game, against Ukraine, regardless.
“You never know, we might keep Wayne out of the team if we do well in the first two games,” he said.
Theo Walcott, the Arsenal winger, has insisted that he is not disheartened at being demoted from Fabio Capello’s stalwart to a substitute under Roy Hodgson and has vowed to win his place in the England first XI back from James Milner.
In both his games in charge, the England manager has preferred the more defensively minded Manchester City player for the right-wing slot that Walcott occupied under the Italian and intimated after the 1-0 win over Belgium on Saturday that the Arsenal player had failed to make the most of “plenty of chances” in the team.
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Walcott, ever diplomatic, is keen to play down any suggestion that his relegation to the substitutes’ bench indicates a lack of faith from the new man in charge.
“Everyone’s role is up for grabs,” he said. “There is always competition in any team. You have to train well and when you are given the opportunity, you have to take it. If you come off the bench, it’s what you do on the pitch that matters.
“We are a team playing without any fear and when players come off the bench they want to grab that opportunity. I’ve had the hamstring problem at the end of the season and I’m starting to ease my way back into it now. I’m training hard and I feel great. I am looking after myself and hopefully I can show a bit more of that in a starting role [against France].”
Even the absence of Wayne Rooney — suspended for the first two games of the European Championship finals — cannot undermine Walcott’s confidence as he prepares to meet his team-mates at Luton airport tomorrow.
Although the Manchester United striker’s inclusion in the squad, despite his enforced omission for the fixtures against France and Sweden, is a sign of his significance to Hodgson’s plans, Walcott does not believe it is the case that Rooney will start the final group game, against Ukraine, regardless.
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“You never know, we might keep Wayne out of the team if we do well in the first two games,” he said.