Mikel Arteta says Jack Wilshere has everything he needs to become a coach when he decides to hang up his playing boots.
Invited to train with the Gunners first team at London Colney following his summer release by Bournemouth, the 29-year-old midfielder has also stepped up his coaching badge studies under the watchful eye of Academy Manager Per Mertesacker.
Wilshere was spotted in the terraces at Rodney Parade as the club’s youngsters beat Newport County in the Papa John’s Trophy earlier in the week and he later confirmed he’s been set a number of tasks around the training ground by the BFG and is working with Kevin Betsy’s under-23s.
Ahead of Monday’s match with Crystal Palace, Arteta was asked about Wilshere’s future ambitions.
“He’s very interested at the moment [in becoming a coach],” said the Spaniard. “He’s trying to learn, he’s trying to finalise his badges. Then it will be his decision to see what he wants to do. He could be, for sure.
“It’s just down to him. He has everything that is needed to be the right coach; it’s just the willingness. He has the time and the passion to do it.”
Having burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old, Wilshere was tipped for a long and fruitful career in midfield for both Arsenal and England before a series of persistent injuries hampered his momentum. While his career at the Emirates was still full of high points, it was put to the boss that his story can serve as a warning to all players that life doesn’t always play out as planned.
“I don’t know, I think Jack spent a big part of his career at the club after coming through the Academy,” said Arteta. “He did it because he deserved to, he had the level and the consistency when his body allowed him, to establish himself here.
“Football changes every day, what you think is good today is tomorrow maybe not that good because somebody else can do it even better than you. You always have to be aware of that.”
For his part, Wilshere is enjoying being back at Arsenal, even if he finds it somewhat surreal that he’s already much older than some of the teenagers looking to follow in his footsteps. He’s also very thankful for Mertesacker’s input.
“It is good to be back – first of all at Arsenal but also just around players,” he said. “Before when I was training on my own and that brings its own difficulties so to be around top-quality players is nice.
“It is just until January. I’m just focused on getting as fit as I can, training as much as I can and being around good players again and learning from them and the manager and see where I am in January.
“I’ve been to a couple of under-23 games because I’m going to start helping them and coaching them and the best way to get to know players is to go and watch them play in games and learn about them.”
“He is a good guy, Per. He was a good team-mate and has settled into his new role really well and he is an organiser, he was on the pitch as well.
“He has set me some tasks, some teams to coach but it is what I want to do so I’m looking forward to it.
“It’s strange because I still feel young but I’ve trained with them a couple of times and I’m 12 years older than some of them, which is very strange.
“But I’m looking forward to helping them because I’ve walked in their footsteps, I’ve done that walk from the youth team to the reserves to the first-team and I’ll help them in any way I can.”
Whatever the long term holds here’s hoping he can get on the pitch again. Wouldn’t mind him getting the odd game while the AFCON is on if he’s fit enough
Good shout.
If Jack can get himself up to Premiership levels of match fitness, he could still do a job for us, no question. The skill levels never depart, it’s the fitness that’s the vital key to a professional player approaching the twilight years of his career.
Wilshere – I’m just here to get fit and do my badges.
Arteta – We have no plans to use Jack in the first team.
Arsenal fans (with fingers in ears while singing lalala) – Can’t wait to see Jack in a north London derby.
Mate, if this fan base have all managed to become ventriloquists dummies (talking about Jack making an NLD whilst singing La La at the same time?) it’s because none of us with any intelligence can take anything that comes out of Arteta’s PR obsessed mouth seriously.
Football’s a funny old game. Never say never, my friend.
Mate, saying that someone’s just there to get their badges & Wilshere literally confirming that is hardly propaganda is it?
No, course not. Nothing that Arteta has ever said has ever constituted propaganda…..🙄
Yeah, I’m still annoyed Ian Holloway wasn’t available too…
But seriously, it was Wenger who pretty much invented the PR spin. He had all manner of slogans and expressions he used to spin answers into positive affirmations and deflect away from the question itself.
Not least the “I did not see it”. An incredible way to dodge awkward journalists.
So if you don’t like Arteta’s spinning, then Wenger’s must have seriously pissed you off.
Wenger was an experienced manager who knew exactly what he was doing and had the club’s best interests at heart.
Arteta is a rookie, pissing in the wind and at this present moment saying anything that he thinks will constitute low risk and buy himself more time.
Big difference.
And, by the way, if you think Wenger invented PR spin, then I suggest you move swiftly to YouTube and check out interviews given by Brian Clough, Don Revie, Bill Shankly, Malcolm Allison, Ron Atkinson, Alex Ferguson, Kevin Keegan et al.
Too true! Q: Did Wenger invent “LANS” or did he just use it and variations of it more frequently than other managers (that I’m aware of)?
A star player entering the last year of their contract being “ideal” because they would be extra motivated to perform must have been one of his least convincing spins.
He didn’t event ‘Be Excited’ or ‘Trust The Process.’
He didn’t have to.
*invent
Defending Arteta by taking Wenger to task really is scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Yeah. I really hate our most successful manager of all time. You got me. And nailed the tone of my comment.
Oh dear Johnny. You can dish it out, but you can’t take it.
I wouldn’t want to see Wilshire getting minutes ahead of someone like Patino.
During AFCON we’ll still have Xhaka, Lokongo, Maitland-Niles which may see us through a few weeks, Patino should be that 4th option. There’s a couple of FA Cup matches during AFCON so hopefully some kind lower league opposition where Charlie can get a run out.
(On a side note a Happy 18th Birthday to Patino today).
Relax. You’ve probably got your wish.
Wilshere and Diaby, sad we didn’t see what they could have developed into. Reminds me of another midfield gem in Sebastian Diesler at Bayern. Just like Jack he looked the part but sometimes the universe throws 2 years of Jack and 40 years of Milner in your face
Can’t believe Milner has been around for only 40 years. I’m sure he won the league in the 70’s with Leeds under Don Revie.
Next time you watch Milner, think of Norman Wisdom. You won’t be able to ‘unthink’ it -ever.
“Mister Grimsdale! Come on, give us the ball! What’s the matter with yer….?”
Wilshere, Diaby, Rosicky, Cazorla, Van Persie, Ramsey, Eduardo. How many more trophies would Arsenal have won post-2004 if these big players had had average fitness/injury stats?
There’s a lot of vile tackles and nasty physical trauma contributing to those collective chronic fitness issues
Just goes to show what a massive influence Vieira’s physical presence had, not only on the team but also the opposition – no one but no one kicked the Invincibles up in the air because they knew Paddy would put them all into row Z and that included Roy Keane. As soon as Vieira left, Arsenal became fair game for neanderthal carnage almost overnight. And we’ve not had anyone with that kind of protective steel in the middle ever since. If Granit Xhaka could have used his noddle, learned to time his ‘tackles’ properly and channelled his aggression towards intimidating… Read more »
Seriously mate did you ever watch those games? Arsenal were routinely kicked off the park by the likes of Scholes, Butt, Keane, Ferdinand, Gary and a special mention to Phil Neville who was reinvented from rubbish full back to midfield enforcer who had carte blanche to kick anything that moved. That’s why Patrick had a word with G. Neville and then Keane in Highbury tunnel famously. These games were too physical for Wenger to risk Robert Pires in after his knee injury. It was these games that formed the template from which many less glamorous sides got the better of… Read more »
Manc Alert.
What is anyone who watches Arsenal games against United considered a Manc or season ticket holder? The comment was kicked off the park!
Nice one Cyril. nice one son.
Haha, that had me in stitches. Cyril Knowles.
👍 That’s the one.
How childish someone who knows more than you do and challenges your view is dismissed as a fan from another club.
I only recently bothered to open an account on this page, but before that I’ve been following it for quite sometime, Qwaliteee speaks his mind and it’s clear he has more than a few haters on here, but if we’re being honest, from what I’ve read, the guy has probably forgotten more about Arsenal than most of us will ever know, with maybe the exception perhaps of Blogs. To accuse Qwaliteee of being childish with a post that could easily have been concocted by a five year old has a certain irony.
Has quality tree and Charles ever been seen in the same room together, I’m getting Clark Kent superman vibes here!
Grow up mate FFS.
Another childish post. I’m getting vibes that you’re a grown man still living at home. Has Mummy called you for tea yet, Steven?
Nah club level tonight
Well done Steve you rinsed those bullies, respect Livin large dude. Club level all the way baby.
🤣
Really?
Many’s the time that my opinions of Arteta, Ozil, Willian and this club’s decline in the past season have been met with accusations of me being a Spud.
That’s when members of my family weren’t being insulted or I wasn’t being accused of being sexually molested as a child. (Sagger or Snagger or whatever your fucking name is – how are you?)
A season ticket holder at Old Trafford, are we?
They were on the Television mate! You get a great view of all the action and replays too.
thats how I watch the games, what about you?
A season ticket holder at United would say “Vieira he gave the ball to Giggs and Arsenal won…
It is quite unlikely one would be on an Arsenal fansite!
Well if I was a betting man, I’d say you’ve got your tongue stuck so far up Alex Ferguson’s backside that he probably thinks it’s a bit of chewing gum.
I just did a calculation with my friend yesterday, not less than 3 premier league titles to be honest.
I’m convinced without the Eduardo incident, we would have beat Birmingham in that game at St Andrews and gone on to win the league in 2008.
I’ve no idea how we didn’t win the League Cup in 2011 either.
CESC’s absence was key to that loss so believe. The team just didn’t turn up, all that talk of ending the trophy drought and fact we were playing a lesser side may have got to them on the day.
Someone recently said it but there is rumour that Gallas is still sitting on the centre circle at St Andrews.
Love it
Won’t be bad to offer him a pay as you play contract in January to offset afcon. We have nothing to lose and much to gain
Jack’s Goal of the Season (2013-14, vs Norwich) is still one of the greatest team goals of all time. I could watch it a hundred times and not get bored.
One of those glorious occasions when football became art!
Some people must not have liked that goal?
I love watching lads coming back to play for their old teams…..
Take the Ronaldo situation; what a joy it is to see him back at the Scum.
Jack is different territory though and I genuinely like the fact that he’s back where he belongs❤️❤️❤️