Roger Moore scores: Saint Theo

Years ago a Manchester United friend of mine (yes, he lives in Surrey) took the time to explain that while Gary Neville was good enough to play right back for England, he just wasn't good enough for the Red Devils.

Thing is, he wanted to point our, that defending against the likes of Greece, Turkey and Moldova is no match for keeping out the best in the world every week.

At the time I thought this was nonsense. Thinking literally, how can a player be good enough for his national side but not his club? But you know something, the more I have been thinking about this, the more I'm inclined to agree.

So, spin forward a couple of years to yesterday afternoon. I take a call from a shocked and somewhat disturbed sibling who tells me our own Theo (Arsenal can claim him all they like, the kid will always be red and white striped to me) has caused the football shock of all shocks, thanks to Sweden's answer to Viagra.

For Steady-Erik to not only throw away the safety net, but burn it and send it in a small parcel to Soho Square, has thrown football journalism into turmoil. How can an unproven 17-year old merit a place in the World Cup squad when he cannot hold down a place in the Arsenal first team? Well, allow me, courtesy of my Mancunian buddy to explain…

England will start this World Cup with a game against Paraguay. They may be an unknown force to you and me, but find the Paraguayan defenders who are setting the Premiership, La Liga or Serie A alight? As for Trinidad and Tobago, let's not forget they play Kenny Jones up front and, not to discredit them, their best defender plays for Wrexham. What do you imagine Walcott could do to the Wrexham defence?

Then it's a crunch game against Sweden and here we know their team only too well – Svensson (A), Melberg, Lucic, Edman, Nilsson – which of those would Wonderboy not skin for fun?

So, all being well, let's imagine the professor can negotiate the group. We'll probably play Poland in Round Two – so that's players like Kosowski, Hajto, Rasiak and Sobolewski. Can you see Dudek keeping the kid out? Nor me.

OK, so we then go on to play Argentina or Holland, followed probably by Brazil, but after four games, has Theo really had to face a player of a higher standard than he's been used to? I'd like to see how Sol Campbell has been keeping tabs on the young man in training, if he's even caught him to ask his name!

And that's the thing about Theo. It's not his skill level that scares opponents, we've all seen flicks and tricks – Ronaldo II was once an unknown wizard with the ball – it's his sensational pace. Speed kills.

So why, you're asking, is our protégé not leading the line at Arsenal? And here I invite you back to my neighbour in Surrey. Theo Walcott is sensational, but he's not yet Thierry Henry or arguably Dennis Bergkamp.

Does that make him a bad player? He can't displace arguably the world's best footballer and an exceptional striker with world-class pedigree, but that doesn't mean he's not the fourth best English striker.

Arsene Wenger is a veritable football ‘whisperer' braking in colts to the highest standard. Let's not forget Vieira and Henry – two World Cup winners – were groomed and prepared at the Highbury stud farm for young soccer stallions. Take a look around the Arsenal team and you will find a plethora of young stars ripe to bloom.

And among them, learning his trade from the master (and possibly the conductor of the finest symphony of total football) is our young friend.

So if you're still asking why Sven should take Theo Walcott to the World Cup, I'll tell you.

Because once in a generation comes Michelangelo and this boy could just be the best football artist you ever did see.