Wilshere struggling for Euros
JACK WILSHERE’S chances of making Euro 2012 are fading fast after Arsene Wenger admitted the midfielder is unlikely to play this month. The Arsenal manager set Wilshere an end-of-april deadline to make his return from injury. But, when asked yesterday whether his hopes had waned, Wenger admitted: ‘You’re not far (wrong). We are now in mid-april and the European Championships start in the middle of June. ‘Jack’s not played the whole season and anyone who knows what is required at the top level, in terms of intensity, knows time is getting short now.’ The Frenchman revealed that the midfielder is still continuing his rehabilitation in the gym and has yet to make his return to first-team training. And, with just five games left in the Premier League season, it is looking increasingly likely Wilshere will not play again until next season. ‘Jack is making slow progress, we will not risk him,’ said Wenger. Wilshere suffered a fractured right ankle in pre-season, an injury that required surgery. Arsenal medics hoped to have the 19-year-old midfielder back by February — but
Sportsmail exclusively revealed he suffered a stress fracture to his right heel in January that would almost certainly rule him out for the season. The club refused to give up hope and even lined up a string of behind-closed-doors matches to help ease him back. Wenger admitted the midfielder is frustrated by his problematic recovery, saying: ‘Jack is mentally strong but what is holding him back is that he can’t play football, so he can’t be happy.’