Leon Britton can help Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere transform England

Britton can help Wilshere in England revolution

Another exit from a major tournament and the inquest begins, usually revolving around someone getting the proverbial axe.

The usual cry is for the England manager in charge to drop all eleven of his shameful flops and draft in a whole new team of fearless young lions.

But what is the point? Thanks to the FA, those young players will have been similarly institutionalised to fail against the world’s best teams.

We all know how it goes – we have let down generation after generation when it comes to teaching them how to treat the ball, how to hold onto it and distribute it.

Andrea Pirlo led England on a merry dance in the quarter-final, but Harry Redknapp insisted we had our own version ready to come into the side in Jack Wilshere.

But one player is not going to solve everything – we thought Wayne Rooney was our saviour eight years ago, and look how that turned out.

Even if Wilshere turns up for his team, unlike Rooney, that still does not guarantee that England will be able to keep possession against the likes of Spain, Italy and Germany.

If anything we need three or four Wilsheres across the midfield and attacking positions – if Xavi had the likes James Milner, Scott Parker, and Steven Gerrard in and around him in Spain’s midfield then they would struggle.

Wilshere needs at least another midfielder alongside him who is comfortable keeping the ball, but looking at England’s list of emerging ‘talent’ there are very few options – perhaps Tom Cleverley if he can regain his momentum.

If Hodgson is serious about competing in midfield though, he could do worse than to look at Swansea star Leon Britton.

“You have to wonder if the fact Leon plays at one of the more unfashionable clubs, in Swansea, stood against him,” his agent Glenn Corcoran said.

“But I’d like to think that with Hodgson talking about a revolution with England, he will come and have a good close look at Leon.”

The midfielder had the highest pass completion rate in Europe last season with 93.3 per cent, so why not give him a go in England’s next friendly?

At 29, the naysayers might complain he’s too old, but Scott Parker’s international career only really took off around the same age.

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Foster needs to make way for Butland at Birmingham

According to new Birmingham boss Lee Clarke, Ben Foster’s impending move to West Brom will give understudy Jack Butland a chance to blossom in the Championship.

This story shines a light on two of the most ridiculous aspects of the modern game – fringe players retiring from international football and players selected for the England squad with no top-flight games under their belt.

Foster – a poor goalkeeper who was unable to cope in the spotlight at Old Trafford and only ever played five games for his country – effectively refused to play for the national side last year in order to “prolong his club career”.

Clearly code for not wanting to turn up and play second fiddle to a succession of other goalkeepers, Foster should have done his duty, and waited for a chance to redeem himself.

Instead we sent Butland to the Euros, a 19-year-old who spent last season on loan at Cheltenham Town in League Two, as our third choice goalkeeper.

Hopefully Foster’s move goes through and he can enjoy a long career at clubs in the lower end of the Premier League or top half of the Championship, and allow Butland to blossom into a decent stopper who can turn out for England knowing he deserves his place.

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