Wonder Kid Walcott makes his mark 

After his spectacular hat-trick in England's 4-1 World Cup qualifying win over Croatia, Arsenal forward Theo Walcott has become England's ray of light on what was thought to be their dark road to South Africa 2010, but it hasn't always been that way, as tvnz.co.nz's Sarah Williams explains .

If there was one thing that former England manager Sven Goran-Eriksson got right during his time as Three Lions boss, it was catapulting the kid - who was ironically one of the contributing factors to the Swedes ultimate downfall - into the spotlight.

When the team for the World Cup in Germany was announced in May 06 Sven's decision to take the, then 17-year-old, uncapped, untested and relatively unknown newly signed Arsenal forward Theo Walcott to the biggest football tournament of them all was met with both shock and confusion.

To the surprise of everyone, including Walcott himself, Sven decided to leave Jermaine Defoe at home for a kid, who had never played a professional game of football or who Sven had never even seen play.

With both Owen and Rooney out injured and just one other fit striker in the squad it didn't take long for the bookies to tip Walcott to make a name for himself in Germany.

At just 17 and 86 days old the bookies tipped Walcott to become the youngest ever England player to score in an international proper.

They also tipped him to start in England's first World Cup game against Paraguay.

Of course, none of those things happened and as England once again failed to deliver on the international stage, the teenager who had caused such uproar before the tournament didn't even make it onto the pitch.

When Sven's dealings with fake Sheiks, busty beauties and big tournament failure became too much for the FA to handle the four-eyed Swede was dropped in favour of a man whose name England fans would rather forget.

During Steve McClaren's reign former England captain David Beckham was dropped while the inexperienced Walcott was relegated to the England U-21 side.

After such a well publicised, disastrous start to his international football career, it was with the U-21's that Walcott came into his own, showing the increasing skill and pace that had seen him become a target for Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool while playing for Southampton youth in 2005.

His versatility and style even saw some drawing comparisons between him and French goal maestro Thierry Henry, whose shirt number he now wears at Arsenal.

As his experience and maturity grew Walcott started getting more first team games at Arsenal leading new England boss Fabio Capello to reconsider including the now 19-year-old in his side.

Capello was questioned over his decision to play Walcott on the right of midfield in England's must-win tussle over international rival's Croatia, while the more experienced David Beckham sat on the bench.

But choosing youth over experience worked wonders for England as Walcott came up with the goods, sublimely slotting home 3 goals in England's 4-1 win over Croatia, getting England's first international hat-trick since Michael Owen terrorised Germany in 2001.

Unsurprisingly the British media is now full of praise for the teenager.

England boss Fabio Capello has hailed the 19-year-old as 'world class' for his hat-trick heroics. The Daily Mail proclaimed that Theo was the 'Boy Wonder' while The Sun splashed the headline 'Trio Walcott.'

Many in the media have compared him to a teenage Michael Owen, who burst onto the scene with a goal during his England debut against Romania at the 1998 World Cup.

The other goal scorer in the match, Wayne Rooney, also had nothing but praise for Walcott, with the Manchester United ace saying he believes Walcott is England's missing link in the national side's quest to end 42 years of pain in major tournaments.

What's exciting about Theo Walcott, possibly more than Wednesday's result, is that he is breathing new life into a tired and uninspired England side and with goals and confidence under his belt - Walcott can only get better from here.

In 2006, 17-year-old Theo Walcott became the laughing stock of Sven's final England fling - just two-years later he is part of a new and exciting generation of England players who has helped put the national side firmly on the road to the 2010 World Cup.

I wonder what the odds were on Sven having the last laugh?