TAKING THEO TO THE WORLD CUP AT 17 KILLED HIM

HAS Theo Walcott ever lived up to his potential? I was interested to read the debate about a player I know well in

Sportsmail on Thursday. In all honesty, I’m surprised there was even a debate to be had — 397 Arsenal appearances, 108 goals and 63 assists, two FA Cup winners’ medals and 47 England caps. A lot of young lads who are starting out now would kill to have a career half as good.

But Theo has had a problem ever since Sven Goran Eriksson took everyone by surprise and named him in England’s 2006 World Cup squad. Taking him to Germany as a 17-year- old killed him because everyone expected him to be the next Michael Owen.

He should never have been put in that position. Theo went to that World Cup ahead of Jermain Defoe and Darren Bent, who had scored 18 goals in the Premier League that season. As we all know, Theo never got a minute on the pitch and it almost felt like he had come on work experience. The problem was, when he returned, everyone was thinking, ‘When is he going to live up to this hype?’

But it was unfair to think he was going to be like Michael because they were two completely different players.

I remember one day at Southampton, Theo was invited over to train with us. He was only a schoolboy at the time. Harry Redknapp was doing this drill of two-v-twos, attackers against defenders and Theo ripped Claus Lundekvam to pieces with his pace.

Harry went ballistic because he couldn’t believe what this kid was doing to an experienced Premier League defender but you could see that day he had something special about him.

He’s intelligent, he makes good runs and his pace is electric.

Everton have done smart business to sign him. People will always ask whether he has fulfilled his potential but, trust me, he’s been a very good player. If he hadn’t gone to the World Cup, maybe everyone would have realised it sooner.