YOUNG PLAYERS ARE UNDER PRESSURE TO SUCCEED - WENGER

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has said young players are under enormous pressure to succeed in the modern game.

He warned that high expectations and "the fear of not being successful" were taking a toll.

Wenger told a news conference he feared young players were being specialised -- restricted to playing certain positions -- too early and were isolated from what he called "normal" social life.

"Parents have a lot of expectations and put a
lot of pressure on the boys," he said. "They
[young players] are not overprotected.

"They are under pressure very early to be
successful, and they come to training with the
fear of not being successful every morning.

"Do we specialise them too early? Do we give
them too much coaching too early and not
enough freedom?"
He said young players should be encouraged to

"practice other sports at an early age and
transfer their skills to our sport."