At just 33 years old, Jack Wilshere becomes the coach of Luton Town. The Englishman probably didn’t think as a teenager that he would be on the sidelines so young. Because he actually faced a world career – but his body had something against it.
Jack Wilshere is back in English professional football – but not on the field, rather on the sidelines. The 33-year-old is taking over the English third division club Luton Town.
“For me, it feels like a circle has closed. One could say it’s fate that my first coaching position is at this club,” Wilshere is quoted on the club website: “This club inspires me. Built on faith, cohesion and hard work.”
Jack Wilshere takes on his first position as head coach
At eight years old, Wilshere started a promising career at the club north of London, which due to injuries and mental problems never became what was once promised. Three years ago, he hung up his football boots at just 30 years old.
An English jewel entered the stage
After just one year at Luton, Wilshere moved as a nine-year-old to the youth academy of Arsenal FC. There he went through all the youth teams and debuted in September 2008 at just 16 years old in the Premier League. This made him the youngest league player for the Gunners in 55 years, his record was only broken in 2022 by Ethan Nwaneri.
“The most promising talent that English football has to offer,” wrote the Daily Mail at the time about the young debutant. However, it would remain the only appearance of the season.
After just one minute of play in the first half of the following season, the teenager was loaned to Bolton Wanderers. There he advanced to a key player in central midfield and returned to the Gunners in the summer.
Wilshere: Breakthrough under Wenger
Under Arsène Wenger, he achieved his breakthrough in 2010/11: The 18-year-old played 49 competitive matches across competitions and collected eleven goal contributions, including four in the Champions League. He was gradually living up to the initial hype as England’s savior.
He debuted for the Three Lions, also as a 16-year-old, in August 2010 under Fabio Capello. But precisely in a match for his home country against Switzerland, Wilshere suffered a serious ankle injury in June 2011.
Jack Wilshere celebrated his debut for England in 2010
A return by the end of September was aimed for, but the pain remained and the Englishman had to undergo surgery.
Due to this surgery and a stress fracture suffered, Wilshere missed the entire 2011/12 season. After another knee surgery and 65 (!) weeks of injury break, he only returned in October 2012 – and was never the same again since then.
Ankle and knee problems slowed Wilshere down
Despite improved performances in the following years, injuries repeatedly slowed him down. His ankle proved to be particularly vulnerable, along with persistent knee problems. This also caused him to miss over 80 matches between 2014 and 2016 and he never even came close to playing his way back into the Gunners’ starting lineup.
So in the summer of 2016, he ventured out of North London for the first time and joined AFC Bournemouth on loan for one season. Things went much better there. Wilshere played 31 matches in the Premier League (22 starts), finally belonged to the regular squad again, and regained strength and confidence.
Despite another injury at the end of the season, the now 25-year-old played 40 matches for the Gunners in 2017/18 and collected ten scoring points. Nevertheless, he decided to leave the club at the end of the season after a total of 17 years, 197 matches, and two FA Cup titles. “Thank you Jack, for your contribution and the fantastic memories,” Arsenal honored him upon his departure.
After stints at West Ham United, AFC Bournemouth, and the Danish Aarhus GF, Wilshere ultimately ended his career in 2022.
“The hard truth is that I missed too much football due to injuries. I never reached the level I thought I could achieve,” he told the Daily Mail in early 2022.
Wilshere reveals mental problems
In addition to numerous injuries, mental problems also played a role in his career: “I had depressive, negative thoughts,” the Englishman admitted: “I lay in bed until noon, not even sleeping, but just arguing with myself. What am I training for? Who am I doing this for? I was lost.”
Now the 33-year-old wants to establish himself as a coach. Luton is his first stop as head coach. Previously, he had taken over Arsenal’s U18 and temporarily Norwich City (two matches). “It is a great honor and a privilege,” Wilshere commented on his appointment as coach.
Perhaps he can start the world career on the sidelines that was denied to him as a player.