Jack Wilshere outlook provides timely cheer for Roy Hodgson and England

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/apr/30/jack-wilshere-roy-hodgson-england-world-cup

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Roy Hodgson has expressed his renewed confidence that Jack Wilshere will be fit for the World Cup but fears the "cruel blow" of losing Andros Townsend is about to be exacerbated by Kyle Walker joining the growing list of absentees.

Hodgson's information is that the chances of Walker making the squad are dramatically receding because of a groin injury that has led to him not taking any part in training for the last six weeks. The England manager has been encouraged by regular updates from Arsène Wenger about Wilshere's condition but Townsend is the third wide player, after Theo Walcott and Jay Rodriguez, to be ruled out and Walker is increasingly in danger of becoming the fourth.

If the Tottenham Hotspur defender has to be excluded, there is a strong possibility Hodgson will not include another specialist right-back when he names his squad on Monday week because Chris Smalling and Phil Jones, primarily back-up centre-halves to Gary Cahill and Phil Jagielka, are both accustomed to playing in that position. That, in turn, would free up Hodgson to include another midfielder or striker.

"We are still monitoring the situation with Kyle," he said. "We haven't been told for certain that he will be out for the next six to 10 weeks but we are concerned that he has been out a long time and has not been able to do any training as far as we know. I know he has had another injection and we are waiting to find out on the back of that."

Townsend damaged ankle ligaments when he came on a substitute for Spurs in their game at Stoke City at the weekend and needs an operation that will rule him out for 10 weeks.

"I am very disappointed, I have to say," Hodgson said. "I am disappointed for him in particular because he had a fantastic debut for England, bursting on to the scene, and did really well. I have been a bit disappointed for him that he has not had as much playing time over recent months as I was hoping, but to see him ruled out like this with a serious ankle injury is a cruel blow.

"My thoughts are very much with him and the only thing I can say is the classic 'He is young and there will be lots of other opportunities', but I am sure that won't make him feel better at the moment when his chance to get into the squad has been taken away from him."

Wilshere has been out for nearly eight weeks, since breaking a bone in his foot during England's friendly against Denmark at Wembley in early March. The diagnosis was that he would be back in six to seven weeks but Hodgson has been assured the player is recovering well. "He has been training with the first team for a while. I have spoken to Arsène and they have been holding him back simply because they don't want to push him too early."

Arsenal have also led him to believe Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's groin injury should not be a cause for serious alarm and England's medical staff have been informed that Jagielka could return from his long lay-off with a hamstring issue in Everton's game against Manchester City on Saturday. Adam Lallana has been playing with a slight groin injury but Hodgson said he was not overly concerned and would rely on Southampton's medical staff.

"The important thing is not to take players who are definitely unfit when we leave and who definitely cannot do anything until we are well into our training camp," Hodgson said. "It is a person-to-person judgment as well. If Steven Gerrard gets injured, for example, and Liverpool tell me he is going to be out for three weeks but fit in a month I would still take him.

"I am not prepared to have a 100% rule that either you play in the last game of the season and are 100% or you don't go. But I do want to know in Wilshere's case that he is training with the others, even if he is not being thrown back into the fray, and when it comes to Ox that he just needs a couple of weeks' rest. Kyle is the more difficult one because it is a long time since he has been fit."