Door open for snubbed Jack

GARETH SOUTHGATE will have clearthe-air talks with Jack Wilshere after his latest England snub.

Southgate warned Wilshere may have to consider his Arsenal future, if he wants to get back into his squad.

The England boss said he will not pick Wilshere while he plays in the No.10 role for Arsenal, and raised concerns about his fitness levels, because of a lack of game time and Premier League starts.

Mirror Sport revealed Wilshere – who has just six months left on his Arsenal contract – might have to move to keep alive any hopes of playing at the World Cup. Swansea, West Ham and Crystal Palace are among the clubs interested in him.

Southgate said: “On the back of this week, with everything that’s been said, it would be good for me to call him or meet him, just to clarify where I am.

“Jack played as a No.10 all of last season on loan at Bournemouth. You’d have to ask Arsene Wenger why he wasn’t at Arsenal last year and you’d have to ask Eddie Howe why he played him as a No.10.

“That is not the way we are playing. I don’t think Jack is a 10 – he is a deeper player but not playing deeper for Arsenal.

“I really like Jack, and I am hoping we are in a position in March where we can pick him.”

The matchball for the World Cup in Russia has been revealed.

The Telstar 18 – based on the original Telstar used for the 1970 tournament in Mexico – has been trialled by, among others, Manchester United.

The first Testar was decorated with black panels to stand out on black and white televisions, and changed football design forever. Technology has moved on since then and this version has a chip that allows fans to interact with the ball using a smartphone.

Each ball generates a unique identifier, unlocking exclusive content and information for the user.