Joe Cole has warned England and Arsenal fans not to put too much pressure on Theo Walcott.
The 19-year-old scored a hat-trick in England's stunning 4-1 victory over Croatia last week to put Fabio Capello's men on course for World Cup qualification.
Arsene Wenger considered resting Walcott for Arsenal's Premier League clash with Blackburn on Saturday, but the youngster started and turned in another sparkling display.
Cole admits that Walcott is a 'special' talent but he believes it would be wrong to expect too much from him at this stage of his career.
"We have to remember that he's still only 19 and there shouldn't be too much pressure on him," said Chelsea midfielder Cole, who was also hailed as a future superstar during his teenage years.
"He'll be a big player for England, but it can't just be on one player's shoulders.
"In Wenger and Capello, he's working with two of the most experienced and respected managers in the world, who'll both help mature him as a player.
"Though, to be fair, scoring three goals against Croatia in the Maksimir Stadium - probably the hardest stadium in Europe to go to - shows he's pretty fearless already.
"He's got great touch and fantastic ball control, which are obviously two of the essential skills needed on a football pitch, so he's definitely got the ability
"What's so special about Theo is that by getting down the wing and picking out players, he's got the potential to set up as many goals as he'll score. Arsenal play great passing football, so he's learning his trade at a great place.
"He showed composure in front of goal against Croatia, like I said, you don't realise just how hard a stadium Maksimir is to play in, so he really did need a cool head on his shoulders."
Cole feels it is Walcott's electric pace and deadly finishing that sets him apart as one of the most exciting prospects in the game.
"We've all seen for a while how fast he is, and it's not just his short bursts of pace - he can do it for the whole length of the pitch," Cole said.
"Pace is something that strikes fear into any player, even the top ones at international level.
"It's difficult to defend against and the defender will always be scared of making a foul because you can't get near him. Once he gets into the box, he's a defender's nightmare.
"We also saw against Croatia how good his shooting is. None of his three goals were easy but he took them so well that he made them look easy.
"He's only 19 and those three goals will have given him bags of confidence, so he'll be even more likely to take shots in the future.
"If he gets a run in the Arsenal side, I can see him scoring quite a few goals this season - his shooting accuracy is among the best I've ever seen."
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Tue Sep 16, 2008 12:45 pm
