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VIDEO: Middlesbrough v Manchester City press conference.
Wheater future bright
EMANUEL Pogatetz expects
David Wheater to reaffirm his
status as one of the most promising
young defenders in the Premier
League by overcoming his
disappointment at being excluded
from Fabio Capello's 23-man
England squad for Wednesday's
friendly in France.
Wheater failed to survive the
cut when Capello trimmed his
provisional squad from 30 to 23
on Saturday night, although his
status would change if there
were to be any late defensive
withdrawals following yesterday's
games involving Manchester
United, Liverpool, Chelsea
and Arsenal.
The 21-year-old was overjoyed
at receiving his maiden international
call-up on Thursday, and
this weekend's events will have
represented a considerable blow.
But having played alongside
Wheater in Middlesbrough's 1-0
win over Derby, Pogatetz expects
the youngster's level-headed outlook
to ensure his omission is
nothing more than a temporary
setback.
"David is somebody who plays
as though he's playing football
in the park," said the Middlesbrough
skipper, who will be on
international duty himself on
Wednesday as Austria take on
Holland in a friendly in Vienna.
"Everything comes naturally to
him and he doesn't worry about
anything, and that will stand
him in good stead. He will handle
anything that comes into his
stride.
"I'm so happy for him that he
got his call-up in the first place.
International football will be
great for him and I'm sure he'll
go on to play for England lots of
times in the future. He's been
playing with so much freedom
all season, and he'll be a massive
asset for Middlesbrough for
many years to come."
While Wheater failed to make
Capello's cut, Stewart Downing
has been named in a final England
squad for the first time
since Steve McClaren's dismissal
last November.
The Boro winger, who was unfairly
portrayed as a McClaren
favourite as a result of the former
England manager's reign at
the Riverside, failed to feature in
last month's 2-1 victory over
Switzerland.
That led some to question his
international future, but having
watched Downing at close quarters
in this month's 1-1 draw
with Arsenal, Capello immediately
restored the Teessider to
the England fold.
"Stewart's recent form has
been as good as it has ever been,"
said Boro boss Gareth Southgate.
"He has started to score
away from home as well as at the
Riverside - he scored a big goal
at Everton and at Villa Park -
and he has been a real handful
for opposition defences.
"He deserves to be back in the
England squad. It's great that he
has been picked by a different
England manager (from Mc-
Claren).
"He is playing very well at the
minute and his call-up is a reward
for that."
Having missed Saturday's 1-0
win through injury, Robert Huth
is unlikely to be involved in Germany's
friendly with Switzerland.
10:35am Monday 24th March 2008
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