STUART Pearce has cautioned against burning out one of English football's most precious talents.
The Blues boss has admitted that if Sven-Goran Eriksson rings him about Shaun Wright-Phillips, he would advise the national coach not to take the 23-year-old on the post-season tour of America.
But Pearce, fully aware of the kudos of playing international football, would not attempt to stop Wright-Phillips from joining up with England if that was what the player wanted.
The heir apparent to David Beckham's right-flank slot for England, City flyer Wright-Phillips is only two-and-a-bit games into a comeback from a knee operation that sidelined him for a month-and-a half.
He has yet to hit full stride since returning, and Pearce is anxious that people should not expect too much too soon from the Blues' joint top scorer, who has 10 goals for the season.
Rest
Pearce said: "I would never stop players going away, but if the England manager rang me and asked me if I wanted him to go away to the USA I would say `no I don't'. I would say `give the boy a rest. Let him rest his limbs'.
"If Shaun or any other player came to me and said they would prefer not to go away in the summer with their international team and asked me to have a word with their coach, I would do that - because from a selfish point of view, I would prefer them not to go.
"But on the other hand, I wouldn't and couldn't stand in their way if they want to go, because I know how much it meant to me to play international football.
"If Shaun or any other players spend the off-season playing internationals, then we might have to adjust their schedules a little bit and allow for them to return a bit later to us for pre-season."
Eriksson's team will travel to the USA on Tuesday, May 24 for a week. They will play the host country - possibly featuring the Blues' Claudio Reyna - at Soldier Field Stadium in Chicago on Saturday, May 28.
England will then play Colombia at Giants Stadium in New Jersey on Tuesday, May 31, and will fly home after the match. Also planned for the trip are a number of coaching clinics with local children's projects.
More pressing for Pearce than that trip, is nursing Wright-Phillips back to full power for the last three games of the campaign as City look to beat their highest Premiership finish of ninth.
Should SWP go on the American tour if asked? Have your say.
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What a ridiculous question to pose! Unless you are, or have access to the advice of, a Manchester City physiotherapist, how can you possibly comment?
jon from london you are right the decision should go to swp and the medical team at man city
I agree with you both, but let the boy decide. Its England after all and id walk the length of England with a broken leg to play for my country. Just hope he's sensible!!!!
I'd rather rest Reyna than SWP. Still, if fit and invited, he should go. The experience is too big a plus for him and City will probably gain if SWP keeps getting better.
S.P. your predecessor, Kevin Keegan, burnt him out.
Who can forget SWP playing for the full 90 minutes in the 7-1 demolition of Barnsley just a few days before we played Arsenal in the league.
SP you are guilty of the same scenario by rushing SWP back into the team when there was no need to. I f we are not a one man team why the panic to get SWP back in at the end of the season?
Don't criterise S-GE for choosing players he wants in his team before looking closer to home.
Not bothered about England whatso-ever. Pearce is right that we should not expect so much of him as he is still young and developing. We would definatly gain more with him resting all summer and coming back fully rested ready for the new season.More bothered about Manchester City than a team with a load of rags in.........
The premiership is a tough league and players only get the month of june off as it is. Players like SWP need rest and should not be going on this pointless tour.
Talking of SWP and England, when he last played for them he had to cope with being swapped between the left and right flanks, missing a couple of sitters and finally humiliated in the second half by the rest of the team not passing to him which resulted in him being replaced by Andy Johnson. Whilst Beckham and Neville (spit!!!) are in the team, SWP will be made to look poor. However, SP should remember his own international aspirations and let Shaun decide for himself. CTID
Whats the betting that the following players will not be on this tour because they are "injured": Terry, Lampard, Campbell, A.Cole, Rooney, Beckham, Gerrard and Owen. CITY are not one of the supposed "big" 3 or 4 in the premiership and will be powerless to stop SWP from going on the tour. I will be very annoyed too if Reyna was to come back injured again, we don't want another Wanchope we paid him enough money in wages while he was injured for our games but fit for Costa Rica then injured again when he come back.
Should rest him in the summer and ease him back very slowly now. Effectively, SWP's season is over cos he hasn't enough time to get back to full match fitness so now is the time to blood Lee Croft. Bit worried to hear that Liverpool are keeping an eye on him and Oldham would certainly have him back! If SP is that keen on him then play him and give him a decent contract!
Excuse me but there's a world cup just 14 months away! Shaun would be crazy not to go on the tour if he wants to be in the team next summer. Doh!
We've got to make sure that Shauny doesnt have to shoulder too much pressure and doesnt burn out, this is why it'd be much better for him to not go on tour with england on a pointless money making trip and gets a few weeks rest so City benefit during next season. Otherwise the poor lad will be knackered, SWP deserves a summer break.
Going on holidays across the pond, in time to arrive in New York for the Colombia game.
Second trip since making the effort to see Rodney play for Tampa against New York with Dennis several blue moons ago.
I would love to see at least one Blue play the game, but will be there to see England play.
It is definate that we won't have either Liverpool or Chelsea's English contingent or those playing in their leagues in Europe and those rags who have been told to lie about injuries to get out of the tour. So, we will have the opportunity to see those players who Sven thinks will form the rest of the squad seeking the World Cup.
I would like to think that SWP is one of them.
I would like to see some of the new blood too. No Heskey, thanks a lot, or any of those dropped from the England team over the last four years.
So we won't be fielding the best England teams, but it will still be English players in the shirt and one of the very few places where we can be patriotic without people surrounding us saying "Hush!"
Also, looking forward to standing up the whole game!!!!
I will try my best to help America believe that it would be a great buy to get Pointalot & Sinclair.
What ever is best for S W P.
If he is not ready to play for England then stay home and rest.
Come back fit for CITY !
City will insist on him resting during the summer its only a bobbins tournament with probably only 4 of the first team regulars going , but swp will still want to go - so this could be the start of sweep deciding to move to arsenal,liverpool or chelsea if he does go lets make sure we get 25m for him and nothing less!!!!
there is not much point in SWP going out to the US i'm afraid.
The only truly recognisable footballer in the world in america is David Beckham, and with the sponsership investment that the FA need to pay for wembley over the next few years, they will without a doubt make sure Beckham is on the pitch at all times to maximse the chances of additional money through golden nuts pretty face.
Sven is also aware of hid bosses requirements (The FA)which is gonna be the reason that SWP will get limited time in an england shirt over the next few years.
Its totally wrong and may be a wild exageration on my part but with a "WORLD" cup next year and beckham obviously on a downward sprial in terms of his footballing ability, I personally think blooding SWP against american / south american opposition this summer so he is ready for the world cup would be the choice of an astute manager. In sven though i think we have a yes man who enjoys his rather large pay packet to much to go against what is required by footballs money men.
Hopefully i'm wrong and David Beckham's form over the past two / tree years has been an act and he is ready an waiting to unleash useen footballing skill upon the world in germany 06, but i doubt it!!!
Whatever makes my Shaun happy. If he wants to go then he should go but if he isn't fit then keep him at home where Brad can look after him!