Wilshere was ready to step up with us – Capello

The 19-year-old will be handed the influential midfield holding role when England tackle Denmark in Copenhagen tonight.

It will be the start of what Capello expects to be a lengthy run in the Three Lions’ line-up for Wilshere, who has long been viewed as a prospect of huge potential and one the England boss has seen make rapid strides forward this season.

“Jack Wilshere represents the very best of the young players,” said Capello.

“I saw five or six games at the start of the season and he played well. But he was not as good as he is now.

“After a lot of games with a really important team like Arsenal he has improved a lot. He has played with a lot of confidence.

“And, players like Cesc Fabregas pass the ball to him all the time because their confidence in him was really clear as well.

“Some players I monitored during this period, who are with the Under-21s, are good but they are not ready to play with us. Wilshere will be a really important player.”

Still, the job he will be asked to undertake at the Parken Stadium, allowing stand-in captain Frank Lampard to make the most of his attacking attributes, while not completely alien, is hardly familiar either.

However, Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has assured Capello his young star is up to the task.

“I spoke with Arsene about it and he told me Jack can do it,” revealed Capello.

“He is good when the team goes forward and stays in front of the back four. I hope (tonight| he will stay in front of the back four like a centre-back.”

How long Wilshere will be on the field is a matter of debate.

With a Champions League fixture with Barcelona looming next Wednesday, it was also suggested Wenger might have requested his players are among the six substitutes Capello has vowed to make.

However, the England boss insists no deals have been done, even though he is acutely aware of how problematic these February friendlies can be.

“I respect the club managers and I want to try and help them,” said Capello. “I remember this period a lot. A lot of these players have played some hard matches over the last three weeks so I will use six substitutions.

“But I didn’t decide the date of the games and there have been no promises.”

Capello has confirmed Joe Hart will return in goal, while Darren Bent’s recent evolution into the more all-round striker Capello needs will be rewarded by a fourth international start and his first since being omitted from Capello’s World Cup squad.

Lampard will captain his country from the start of a game for the first time, with Capello claiming the 32-year-old’s injury problems over the first few months of the campaign, far from placing a question mark over his presence tonight, should make him one of England’s fresher squad members.

“I have spoken to him about his injuries,” said Capello.

“I monitored him over the last five games and he has improved a lot.

“I followed him particularly during the Liverpool game on Sunday. He is in a good form and is probably fresher than the other players.”

There will also be a record 87th appearance for Ashley Cole, allowing the 30-year-old to overtake Kenny Sansom as England’s most-capped full-back.

It is a fitting way to end a week that also saw Cole crowned England’s player of the year for 2010, a remarkable transformation for someone whose public popularity level has rarely been high.

“I am really happy with Ashley Cole’s performance level and really happy that the fans decided he was England’s best player last year,” said Capello.

“I remember the boos he had to endure, both when he played at Wembley and when he played away from home, so I am really happy for him.

“He is a really professional player, in games and in training. He is a really important player for us, one of our most important players.”

England will hope a spot of revenge will be on the menu when they tackle Denmark in the Parken Stadium.

On their last visit to Copenhagen, in August 2005, the Three Lions were hammered 4-1, their worst defeat under Sven Goran Eriksson.