Lennon eager to be secret weapon

By Stuart Roach
BBC Sport at the Madejski Stadium

Spurs' midfield trio celebrate England's opener against Belarus

Aaron Lennon believes he can be England's secret weapon at the World Cup in Germany this summer.

Lennon was the star turn on an otherwise disappointing night for England B against Belarus on Thursday.

And he insists he will be unfazed if Sven-Goran Eriksson hands him his World Cup chance in Germany next month.

"If I get to play it will be a bonus. A lot of opponents won't know about me and if I come off the bench I can make an impact," he told BBC Sport.

Fellow young guns Wayne Rooney and Theo Walcott have monopolised the England gossip so far this month.

But Lennon exploded from their shadows to stake his claim in Thursday's B international at Reading.

It has been an unbelievable year for me Aaron Lennon

Though officially a B International, the match against Belarus kick-started England's World Cup preparations as Eriksson was able to field a strong line-up.

Striker Michael Owen and Arsenal defenders Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole were given the chance to regain match fitness.

England led through a Jermaine Jenas goal and had a Peter Crouch effort ruled out after Lennon had set him up.

A horrible injury to goalkeeper Robert Green put a dampener on the evening, but Lennon's pace and wing play was a high point.

"It's a game of football and you have to go out and enjoy it and express yourself. If you get too nervous it will affect your performance," he said.

"It has been an unbelievable year for me. At the start of the season I wasn't even in the squad at Tottenham and now I'm in the England World Cup squad.

"I didn't really expect it. I knew I always had the ability to do this but the players around me have helped me."

Those influences have included Tottenham team-mates Jenas and Michael Carrick, who both played alongside Lennon against Belarus.

And both expect their club-mate to provide England with a much-needed cutting edge when the World Cup kicks off.

"He was absolutely outstanding. From start to finish he was absolutely brilliant," Carrick said.

"I'm not surprised as he has been doing it every week for Tottenham but to do it on this stage is a credit to him.

"He's got that pace and sharpness that scares full-backs. He's got the element of surprise."

Jenas agreed, adding: "He's gone out there and shown what he's capable of.

"If he is thrown on in the last 10 or 15 minutes, he can destroy defences."

Eriksson agreed that Lennon would probably not be in hi first-choice starting XI - but hinted that the Spurs youngster had a role to play as a substitute.

"If everyone is fit he will maybe not start but in the World Cup you can have everyone on the bench," said the England coach.

"It depends on how the games goes and what substitutions you can do but he will be very useful for us in the World Cup.

"If you want to change a game, he is one of those players who can do it."