Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey: Arsene Wenger didn’t think I could handle Wales captaincy but I can

Wales’ Aaron Ramsey & England’s Scott Parker battle for possession (Getty Images)

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Arsenal youngster has claimed that he had no problems taking the captain’s armband for Wales in March despite concerns from his club manager Arsene Wenger.

The 20-year-old was handed the responsibility for the Euro 2012 qualifier against England on March 26 – a game the Three Lions won 2-0 – but had to reassure Wenger, who was worried the pressure would be too much for the midfielder who ahd only jsut returned from a broken leg.

“I had a chat with my manager at Arsenal,” he told reporters.

“He said maybe because I was just coming back from my injury maybe I did not need that sort of pressure so early on.

“That’s all he was saying really but I said to him that I didn’t see a problem with it and that I was ready to captain Wales.”

Ramsey watched his side from the bench for the first 60 minutes of Wednesday’s 3-1 Home Nations defeat to Scotland, but will be leading his side out again against Northern Ireland on Friday.

Ramsey said: “It was nice to get on the pitch and play some part in the game.

“Rob Earnshaw was captain from the beginning and it was his game to be captain so I wasn’t going to go on there and take it off him.

“Obviously it was a disappointing result but now I’m looking forward to starting the game against Northern Ireland and hopefully producing a good performance.”

After a horrid year out of the game with a broken leg, Ramsey is keen to use the boost of the captaincy to push on and reclaim a spot in the Arsenal first-team next season.

He said: “If I look back I think I’ve been pretty happy with what I’ve done this season.

“I got myself back to match fitness and now another game will be good for me.

“Next season I hope I can get a good pre-season and start off the same as everybody else.