Will Sunderland have more England players than Arsenal? (From The Northern Echo)

Will Sunderland have more England players than Arsenal?

9:02pm Friday 20th November 2009

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THIS week I was asked to write a column - the Write Stuff - for Sunderland's official website, so I chose to discuss Darren Bent's call-up for England last week ...

OVER the years there have not been too many occasions when Sunderland supporters can boast to have had more players in the England squad than Arsenal. Last weekend, however, was one of those such occasions.

When Darren Bent started against Brazil in Qatar to earn his fifth international cap for his country last Saturday, it was a proud moment for Wearside. Not since Kevin Phillips, Gavin McCann and Michael Gray have Sunderland been able to watch one of their own represent England in an international.

It is an indication of the progress being made at Sunderland that one of their players has been recognised for his form, with Fabio Capello now seriously left to consider the merits of taking him to the World Cup.

Bent must feel the whole of the city is behind him, after all Sunderland's young fans have never known one of their players travel to a World Cup as part of the England squad. Even the older generation will struggle to remember. Not since Stan Anderson went to the 1962 finals in Chile has it happened.

The same could not be said of Arsenal. In recent times there has been Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole and David Seaman; the Gunners have churned out England internationals for many years.

Interestingly, though, times appear to be changing. If there is any Arsenal player most likely to force his way on to the plane to South Africa with Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard and John Terry, it is Theo Walcott.

There could be a late surge from their exciting, young full-back Kieran Gibbs. The more likely scenario is that Walcott will be the only member of Arsene Wenger's internationally-renowned squad included in Capello's final 23-man squad.

Even that depends on his fitness and the form of his competition, with Aaron Lennon, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joe Cole, David Beckham and, possibly, Stewart Downing fighting for similar places.

Of course the inclusion of Bent in the World Cup squad is far from certain, with Capello unclear which way to turn with so many attacking options to choose from. If Saturday's outing against Brazil was his only chance, Bent's hopes might have faded.

But the mere fact that Sunderland had a player more in the England squad than Arsenal in Qatar highlights the growing regard for the work being carried out by Steve Bruce and his backroom team at the Stadium of Light.

Even more promisingly, there are signs that Bent's call-up is unlikely to be the last of the Bruce era. Centre-back Michael Turner, the bargain £4m buy from Hull City, has already been identified as a realistic alternative to Rio Ferdinand and John Terry, while at the age of 21 there is plenty of time for Lee Cattermole to become a mainstay of the England team. Kieran Richardson also has the ability to return to that level, having earned caps in the past.

With Bruce in charge, chairman Niall Quinn has a manager keen to bring in new talent from home and abroad, but they also have a manager intent on giving youth its chances when he feels it is appropriate.

When Arsenal arrive in the North-East on Saturday looking to close the five-point advantage Chelsea have over them at the top of the Premier League, 19-year-old Jordan Henderson is likely to find himself thrust into the spotlight again.

So far the teenage talent from Farringdon has only impressed when he has been given the opportunity and Bruce has repeatedly hailed him as a young man with a very bright future.

But Bruce has already had discussions with the club's Academy manager Ged McNamee about the potential of the players underneath Henderson, having been made aware of the success of the Academy has had in recent seasons in their respective competitions.

McNamee and his team need applauding. While Wenger will bring a youthful squad to the Stadium of Light this weekend full of internationals that he has been recognised for developing, there has been a lack of homegrown English talents coming through at the Emirates.

Arsenal have allowed the likes of Matthew Upson, Steve Sidwell, David Bentley, Justin Hoyte and even Ashley Cole to move on after emerging through the Arsenal ranks. Of the current crop Gibbs, Jack Wilshere, Mark Randall and Henri Lansbury are all expected to make greater names for themselves in the future.

But Arsenal's ability to have remained in the Premier League's top four in recent years has largely been down to the fact they have been able to unearth foreign teenagers with the potential to become real stars. Cesc Fabregas, Denilson and Alexandre Song to name three, with the likes of Carlos Vela and Nicklas Bendtner following.

Many of those will be on show when the Wenger boys head to the Stadium of Light on Saturday, when Bruce, Bent and Co will have another opportunity to show that Sunderland have every right to be taken seriously by the division's leading lights.

Four points from matches with Liverpool and Manchester United in October helped Capello take notice, a further impressive display over Arsenal would help to give him further food for thought.

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