Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp has branded Arsenal starlet Theo Walcott as "not good enough" for England.
Redknapp was boss at Southampton when he gave Walcott his debut at 16 - but then was not convinced about his ability.
And he believes England coach Sven Goran Eriksson blundered in taking him to Germany.
"Eriksson has made a fundamental error by selecting Walcott," Redknapp told the Mirror. "From what I hear even the Arsenal players are not sure how good Walcott is.
"I certainly think he's not up to it. At Saints I watched him in FA Youth Cup ties against Ipswich and Wolves and each time he drifted to the flanks he was marked out of the game.
"He could not impose himself even at that level. Through the middle he had pace, he was a much better player, but he drifts in and out.
"I think Eriksson has taken a massive gamble in selecting only four strikers and, because he's not good enough, Walcott won't figure at all."
Redknapp was boss at Southampton when he gave Walcott his debut at 16 - but then was not convinced about his ability.
And he believes England coach Sven Goran Eriksson blundered in taking him to Germany.
"Eriksson has made a fundamental error by selecting Walcott," Redknapp told the Mirror. "From what I hear even the Arsenal players are not sure how good Walcott is.
"I certainly think he's not up to it. At Saints I watched him in FA Youth Cup ties against Ipswich and Wolves and each time he drifted to the flanks he was marked out of the game.
"He could not impose himself even at that level. Through the middle he had pace, he was a much better player, but he drifts in and out.
"I think Eriksson has taken a massive gamble in selecting only four strikers and, because he's not good enough, Walcott won't figure at all."
