Wheater won't let rapid rise to fame halt progress

2:03am Thursday 15th May 2008

AS a defender who earned 57 caps for his country, Gareth Southgate has seen enough to suggest Middlesbrough defender David Wheater will not be a one-season wonder.

The Redcar-born 21-year-old has been one of the success stories of what has been an otherwise disappointing season for the Teessiders.

His performances have not only ensured the defender has become an integral part of Southgate's first-team plans, but Wheater is now on the verge of winning his first full England cap.

The central defender has been called up to Fabio Capello's squad to face United States and Trinidad and Tobago on May 27 and June 1 respectively.

If he does feature then it would complete a remarkable 12 months for a player who ended last season on loan at Darlington.

Tonight he is in international duty for the under-21s against Wales at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground, where he is joined in Stuart Pearce's squad by Middlesbrough team-mates Andrew Taylor, Adam Johnson and Lee Cattermole, as well as Sunderland's Grant Leadbitter.

Wheater has already been warned of the perils of 'second-season syndrome' by Middlesbrough coach Colin Cooper.

However, there is no doubt in Southgate's mind that this season was no flash in the pan for the youngster.

If anything, the Boro boss expects to see an improvement in Wheater's game next season.

"He has been a major plus this season and he is not someone who thinks he can now rest on his laurels," said Southgate.

"He doesn't think for a minute he has made it. He just wants to improve all the time and it is that attitude which has got him this far already.

"He is a young man with a great future ahead of him. There are no worries about him keeping his feet on the ground because he is very down to earth and all he wants to do is play football and continue to improve.

"He will be stronger and wiser for the experience of having completed a whole season in the Premier League and he looks as though he has enjoyed it."

Wheater admits he never expected to become such an established member of the Middlesbrough first-team this season.

"He has been voted young player of the year at the club and he deserves every accolade that comes his way," said Southgate. "He has been amazing.

"Neither of us at the start of the season thought it would happen.

"Wheats looked very good in pre-season training and his performances were excellent. He has consistently put in good performances and that has been the key to his success.

"I think it has been a long season for him and he has been running on empty for a few weeks now. Ideally I would have liked to have taken him out for a time and given him a rest but with the injuries we have had that has not been possible."

With the domestic season now over, Wheater will hope to do his international claims the world of good when he wins his sixth cap for the under-21s tonight.

He will be looking to catch Capello's eye ahead of England's friendly clash with the USA at Wembley on May 28.

In March Wheater was called up to Capello's provisional 30-man squad to face France, but missed the cut when it was reduced to 23.

"The fact he has caught the eye of the England manager tells you all you need to know about him," said Southgate.

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