Learning from Arteta and inspiring youngsters - Wilshere on management

The Football Interview will be available on BBC One at 12:45 BST every Saturday during the Premier League season, as well as on BBC i Player, BBC Football You Tube and the BBC Sport website and app. In the seventh episode of the new season, Kelly Somers sits down with Luton Town manager Jack Wilshere. Jack Wilshere's footballing career has gone full circle.

From starting out at Luton Town aged seven, Wilshere went on to win trophies at Arsenal and represent England at two major tournaments, before having to retire early because of injury problems and moving into coaching. Now, he is back where he began, at Luton, this time as manager. Sitting overlooking the pitches he used to play on as a youngster, the 34-year-old spoke to BBC Sport's Kelly Somers for The Football Interview and discussed his career - and how he hopes he can use his experiences to improve his players.

An exciting attacking midfielder with an ability to spot a pass or dribble past his opponent, Wilshere twice won the FA Cup with the Gunners. He played in the Premier League 182 times and represented England on 34 occasions, appearing at both the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and the European Championship in France two years later. But injuries plagued the latter part of his career, with him announcing his retirement at only 30.

However, there were no regrets. 'I loved it [my career], I'm really proud,' he said in the interview, which can be watched on BBC One at 12:45 BST on Saturday, 3 October. 'I got to play for my country and represent them at two major tournaments. OK, they didn't go the way we wanted them to, but I got to do it.' 'I scored for my country, I played for the club I loved growing up, so pride is the biggest thing.' On 13 October it will be one year since Wilshere became Luton boss, his first senior management role - although he had been in interim charge of Norwich City for a two-game spell at the end of the previous season. He has already won silverware in his time with the Hatters, guiding them to the EFL Trophy, beating Stockport County 3-1 at Wembley in April in front of a crowd of nearly 50,000. 'I'm 34 now and probably could still be playing,' he added. 'Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of playing, but I also really, really love this and I'm fortunate to start my [management] journey early.' 'I'm really grateful to the club and the board for giving me that opportunity because they didn't need to.

I was a young coach wanting to make my first step into the game.' Immediately after his playing career ended, he was invited back to Arsenal to coach their youngsters and instantly knew management and coaching was for him. 'I hear stories about people struggling in retirement and I retired on a Monday, and I was in with the [under] 18s on a Tuesday,' said Wilshere. 'When I first went and walked through the door to coaching, I realised this is going to take over my life, and I need to commit myself to this if I want to improve.' By that time Mikel Arteta, who had been Wilshere's Arsenal team-mate for five years, was first-team manager. Arteta guided the Gunners to the Premier League title in 2025-26, their first time as English champions in 22 years, and Wilshere felt the Spaniard had played a vital role in developing him as a coach. 'I got to see Mikel and how he coached and the influence he was having,' said Wilshere. 'I would ask him questions, why he's doing certain things, and I started to fall in love with it and how he started to prepare training sessions.' 'I'd get an opportunity to practice that with the 18s in the afternoon and it was something I wasn't that good at, and I felt uncomfortable at times.' 'I was influenced by Mikel, but then I had to learn how to teach. I had to learn how to get that across, how to plan a session and how to get the outcomes that you wanted.' 'I played under some good coaches and was quite good at understanding what a coach wants, but I never dived into 'why is he asking me to do that?' Mikel really made that clear and ...

The Football Interview will be available on BBC One at 12:45 BST every Saturday during the Premier League season, as well as on BBC i Player, BBC Football You Tube and the BBC Sport website and app. In the seventh episode of the new season, Kelly Somers sits down with Luton Town manager Jack Wilshere. Jack Wilshere's footballing career has gone full circle.

From starting out at Luton Town aged seven, Wilshere went on to win trophies at Arsenal and represent England at two major tournaments, before having to retire early because of injury problems and moving into coaching. Now, he is back where he began, at Luton, this time as manager. Sitting overlooking the pitches he used to play on as a youngster, the 34-year-old spoke to BBC Sport's Kelly Somers for The Football Interview and discussed his career - and how he hopes he can use his experiences to improve his players.

An exciting attacking midfielder with an ability to spot a pass or dribble past his opponent, Wilshere twice won the FA Cup with the Gunners. He played in the Premier League 182 times and represented England on 34 occasions, appearing at both the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and the European Championship in France two years later. But injuries plagued the latter part of his career, with him announcing his retirement at only 30.

However, there were no regrets. 'I loved it [my career], I'm really proud,' he said in the interview, which can be watched on BBC One at 12:45 BST on Saturday, 3 October. 'I got to play for my country and represent them at two major tournaments. OK, they didn't go the way we wanted them to, but I got to do it.' 'I scored for my country, I played for the club I loved growing up, so pride is the biggest thing.' On 13 October it will be one year since Wilshere became Luton boss, his first senior management role - although he had been in interim charge of Norwich City for a two-game spell at the end of the previous season. He has already won silverware in his time with the Hatters, guiding them to the EFL Trophy, beating Stockport County 3-1 at Wembley in April in front of a crowd of nearly 50,000. 'I'm 34 now and probably could still be playing,' he added. 'Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of playing, but I also really, really love this and I'm fortunate to start my [management] journey early.' 'I'm really grateful to the club and the board for giving me that opportunity because they didn't need to.

I was a young coach wanting to make my first step into the game.' Immediately after his playing career ended, he was invited back to Arsenal to coach their youngsters and instantly knew management and coaching was for him. 'I hear stories about people struggling in retirement and I retired on a Monday, and I was in with the [under] 18s on a Tuesday,' said Wilshere. 'When I first went and walked through the door to coaching, I realised this is going to take over my life, and I need to commit myself to this if I want to improve.' By that time Mikel Arteta, who had been Wilshere's Arsenal team-mate for five years, was first-team manager. Arteta guided the Gunners to the Premier League title in 2025-26, their first time as English champions in 22 years, and Wilshere felt the Spaniard had played a vital role in developing him as a coach. 'I got to see Mikel and how he coached and the influence he was having,' said Wilshere. 'I would ask him questions, why he's doing certain things, and I started to fall in love with it and how he started to prepare training sessions.' 'I'd get an opportunity to practice that with the 18s in the afternoon and it was something I wasn't that good at, and I felt uncomfortable at times.' 'I was influenced by Mikel, but then I had to learn how to teach. I had to learn how to get that across, how to plan a session and how to get the outcomes that you wanted.' 'I played under some good coaches and was quite good at understanding what a coach wants, but I never dived into 'why is he asking me to do that?' Mikel really m...

The Football Interview will be available on BBC One at 12:45 BST every Saturday during the Premier League season, as well as on BBC i Player, BBC Football You Tube and the BBC Sport website and app. In the seventh episode of the new season, Kelly Somers sits down with Luton Town manager Jack Wilshere. Jack Wilshere's footballing career has gone full circle.

From starting out at Luton Town aged seven, Wilshere went on to win trophies at Arsenal and represent England at two major tournaments, before having to retire early because of injury problems and moving into coaching. Now, he is back where he began, at Luton, this time as manager. Sitting overlooking the pitches he used to play on as a youngster, the 34-year-old spoke to BBC Sport's Kelly Somers for The Football Interview and discussed his career - and how he hopes he can use his experiences to improve his players.

An exciting attacking midfielder with an ability to spot a pass or dribble past his opponent, Wilshere twice won the FA Cup with the Gunners. He played in the Premier League 182 times and represented England on 34 occasions, appearing at both the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and the European Championship in France two years later. But injuries plagued the latter part of his career, with him announcing his retirement at only 30.

However, there were no regrets. 'I loved it [my career], I'm really proud,' he said in the interview, which can be watched on BBC One at 12:45 BST on Saturday, 3 October. 'I got to play for my country and represent them at two major tournaments. OK, they didn't go the way we wanted them to, but I got to do it.' 'I scored for my country, I played for the club I loved growing up, so pride is the biggest thing.' On 13 October it will be one year since Wilshere became Luton boss, his first senior management role - although he had been in interim charge of Norwich City for a two-game spell at the end of the previous season. He has already won silverware in his time with the Hatters, guiding them to the EFL Trophy, beating Stockport County 3-1 at Wembley in April in front of a crowd of nearly 50,000. 'I'm 34 now and probably could still be playing,' he added. 'Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of playing, but I also really, really love this and I'm fortunate to start my [management] journey early.' 'I'm really grateful to the club and the board for giving me that opportunity because they didn't need to.

I was a young coach wanting to make my first step into the game.' Immediately after his playing career ended, he was invited back to Arsenal to coach their youngsters and instantly knew management and coaching was for him. 'I hear stories about people struggling in retirement and I retired on a Monday, and I was in with the [under] 18s on a Tuesday,' said Wilshere. 'When I first went and walked through the door to coaching, I realised this is going to take over my life, and I need to commit myself to this if I want to improve.' By that time Mikel Arteta, who had been Wilshere's Arsenal team-mate for five years, was first-team manager. Arteta guided the Gunners to the Premier League title in 2025-26, their first time as English champions in 22 years, and Wilshere felt the Spaniard had played a vital role in developing him as a coach. 'I got to see Mikel and how he coached and the influence he was having,' said Wilshere. 'I would ask him questions, why he's doing certain things, and I started to fall in love with it and how he started to prepare training sessions.' 'I'd get an opportunity to practice that with the 18s in the afternoon and it was something I wasn't that good at, and I felt uncomfortable at times.' 'I was influenced by Mikel, but then I had to learn how to teach. I had to learn how to get that across, how to plan a session and how to get the outcomes that you wanted.' 'I played under some good coaches and was quite good at understanding what a coach wants, but I never dived into 'why is he asking me to do that?' Mikel really m...

The Football Interview wird auf BBC One jeden Samstag um 12:45 BST während der Premier League-Saison ausgestrahlt, außerdem auf BBC i Player, BBC Football You Tube sowie auf der BBC Sport-Website und in der App. In der siebten Folge der neuen Saison sitzt Kelly Somers mit dem Luton Town-Trainer Jack Wilshere zusammen. Jack Wilshers Fußballkarriere hat sich vollendet.

Seit seinem Beginn beim Luton Town im Alter von sieben Jahren gewann Wilshere Trophäen bei Arsenal und vertrat England bei zwei großen Turnieren, bevor er aufgrund von Verletzungsproblemen frühzeitig in den Ruhestand gehen musste und ins Coaching wechselte. Jetzt ist er zurück an dem Ort, wo alles begann, in Luton, diesmal jedoch als Trainer. Sitzend und blickend auf die Plätze, auf denen er als Jugendlicher spielte, sprach der 34-Jährige mit Kelly Somers von BBC Sport für The Football Interview über seine Karriere – und darüber, wie er hofft, seine Erfahrungen zu nutzen, um seine Spieler zu verbessern.

Ein aufregender offensiver Mittelfeldspieler mit der Fähigkeit, einen Pass zu erkennen oder an seinem Gegner vorbeizudribbeln, gewann Wilshere zweimal den FA Cup mit den Gunners. Er bestritt 182 Einsätze in der Premier League und vertrat England bei 34 Länderspielen, darunter die Weltmeisterschaft in Brasilien 2014 und die Europameisterschaft in Frankreich zwei Jahre später. Doch Verletzungen plagten den späteren Teil seiner Karriere, wobei er seine Rückkehr im Alter von nur 30 Jahren ankündigte.

Dennoch gab es keine Reue. 'Ich habe es geliebt [meine Karriere], ich bin wirklich stolz', sagte er im Interview, das man auf BBC One um 12:45 BST am Samstag, den 3. Oktober, sehen kann. 'Ich hatte die Gelegenheit, für mein Land zu spielen und es bei zwei großen Turnieren zu vertreten. Nun, sie verliefen nicht so, wie wir es wollten, aber ich habe es geschafft.' 'Ich habe für mein Land getroffen, ich habe für den Verein gespielt, den ich seit meiner Kindheit liebte, daher ist Stolz das Wichtigste.' Am 13.

Oktober wird es ein Jahr her sein, seitdem Wilshere Trainer von Luton geworden ist – seine erste leitende Trainertätigkeit – obwohl er zuvor vorübergehend die Verantwortung für Norwich City für zwei Spiele am Ende der vorherigen Saison innehatte. Er hat bereits während seiner Zeit bei den Hatters Silberware gewonnen, indem er sie zum EFL Trophy führte und Stockport County mit 3-1 im April in Wembley vor fast 50.000 Zuschauern besiegte. 'Ich bin jetzt 34 Jahre alt und könnte wahrscheinlich noch spielen', fügte er hinzu. 'Versteht mich nicht falsch, ich habe jede Minute des Spielens geliebt, aber ich liebe dies auch wirklich, wirklich und habe das Glück, meinen [Trainer-]Weg früh zu beginnen.' 'Ich bin dem Verein und dem Vorstand wirklich dankbar dafür, dass sie mir diese Gelegenheit gegeben haben, denn sie mussten es nicht tun. Ich war ein junger Trainer, der seinen ersten Schritt ins Spiel machen wollte.' Direkt nachdem seine Spielerkarriere endete, wurde er zurück nach Arsenal eingeladen, um die jungen Spieler zu trainieren, und er wusste sofort, dass Management und Coaching für ihn das Richtige waren. 'Ich höre Geschichten von Menschen, die im Ruhestand kämpfen, und ich ging in den Ruhestand an einem Montag, und am Dienstag war ich mit der [U18]-Mannschaft', sagte Wilshere. 'Als ich zum ersten Mal ging und durch die Tür zum Coaching trat, erkannte ich, dass dies mein Leben übernehmen würde, und ich musste mich diesem verpflichten, wenn ich mich verbessern wollte.' Zu diesem Zeitpunkt war Mikel Arteta, der fünf Jahre lang Wilshers Mannschaftskollege bei Arsenal gewesen war, Cheftrainer der ersten Mannschaft.

Arteta führte die Gunners zum Premier-League-Titel in der Saison 2025-26, ihrem ersten englischen Meistertitel seit 22 Jahren, und Wilshere fühlte, dass der Spanier eine entscheidende Rolle bei seiner Entwicklung als Trainer gespielt hatte. 'Ich hatte die Gelegenheit, Mikel zu sehen und wie er coachte und welchen Einfluss er hatte', sagte Wilshere. 'Ich würde ihm Fragen stellen, warum er bestimmte Dinge tut, und ich begann, dies zu lieben und wie er damit begann, Trainingsstunden vorzubereiten.' 'Ich hätte die Gelegenheit, dies mit der U18 am Nachmittag zu üben, und es war etwas, das ich nicht gut konnte, und ich fühlte mich dabei manchmal unwohl.' 'Ich wurde von Mikel beeinflusst, aber dann musste ich lernen, zu lehren. Ich musste lernen, dies zu vermitteln, wie man eine Sitzung plant und wie man die gewünschten Ergebnisse erzielt.' 'Ich spielte unter einigen guten Trainern und war ziemlich gut darin zu verstehen, was ein Trainer von mir will, aber ich tauchte niemals tief in die Frage ein „Warum fragt er mich, das zu tun?“ Mikel hat wirklich m...

The Football Interview estará disponible en BBC One a las 12:45 BST cada sábado durante la temporada de la Premier League, así como en BBC i Player, BBC Football You Tube y el sitio web y la aplicación de BBC Sport. En el séptimo episodio de la nueva temporada, Kelly Somers se sienta a hablar con el entrenador del Luton Town, Jack Wilshere. La carrera futbolística de Jack Wilshere ha dado una vuelta completa.

Desde que comenzó en el Luton Town a los siete años, Wilshere pasó a ganar trofeos en el Arsenal y representar a Inglaterra en dos torneos importantes, antes de tener que retirarse temprano debido a problemas de lesiones y pasar al entrenamiento. Ahora, ha vuelto al lugar donde comenzó, en Luton, esta vez como entrenador. Sentado mirando los campos donde solía jugar de joven, el de 34 años habló con Kelly Somers de BBC Sport para The Football Interview y discutió su carrera y cómo espera usar sus experiencias para mejorar a sus jugadores.

Un emocionante mediocampista ofensivo con la capacidad de detectar un pase o regatear a su oponente, Wilshere ganó dos veces la FA Cup con los Gunners. Jugó en la Premier League 182 veces y representó a Inglaterra en 34 ocasiones, apareciendo tanto en la Copa del Mundo de Brasil en 2014 como en el Campeonato Europeo de Francia dos años después. Pero las lesiones aquejaron la última parte de su carrera, anunciando su retirada a los solo 30 años.

Sin embargo, no hubo arrepentimientos. 'Lo amé [mi carrera], estoy realmente orgulloso', dijo en la entrevista, que se puede ver en BBC One a las 12:45 BST el sábado 3 de octubre. 'Tuve la oportunidad de jugar por mi país y representarlo en dos torneos importantes. Está bien, no salieron como queríamos, pero tuve la oportunidad de hacerlo.' 'Anoté por mi país, jugué por el club que amé al crecer, así que el orgullo es lo más grande.' El 13 de octubre hará un año desde que Wilshere se convirtió en entrenador del Luton, su primer rol senior como entrenador - aunque había estado al mando interino del Norwich City durante un periodo de dos partidos al final de la temporada anterior. Ya ha ganado trofeos en su tiempo con los Hatters, guiándolos al EFL Trophy, venciendo al Stockport County 3-1 en Wembley en abril ante una multitud de casi 50,000 personas. 'Tengo 34 años y probablemente aún podría estar jugando', añadió. 'No me malinterpretes, amé cada minuto de jugar, pero también realmente, realmente amo esto y tengo suerte de comenzar mi [camino como entrenador] temprano.' 'Estoy realmente agradecido al club y a la junta por darme esa oportunidad porque no tenían que hacerlo.

Era un joven entrenador que quería dar su primer paso en el juego.' Inmediatamente después de terminar su carrera como jugador, fue invitado a regresar al Arsenal para entrenar a sus juveniles y supo de inmediato que la gestión y el entrenamiento eran para él. 'Escucho historias de personas que luchan en la retirada y me retiré un lunes, y el martes estaba con los [sub-18]', dijo Wilshere. 'Cuando fui por primera vez y atravesé la puerta hacia el entrenamiento, me di cuenta de que esto iba a tomar el control de mi vida, y necesitaba comprometerme con esto si quería mejorar.' En ese momento Mikel Arteta, quien había sido compañero de equipo de Wilshere en el Arsenal durante cinco años, era el entrenador del primer equipo. Arteta llevó a los Gunners al título de la Premier League en 2025-26, su primera vez como campeones ingleses en 22 años, y Wilshere sintió que el español había desempeñado un papel vital en su desarrollo como entrenador. 'Tuve la oportunidad de ver a Mikel y cómo entrenaba y la influencia que estaba teniendo', dijo Wilshere. 'Le haría preguntas, por qué está haciendo ciertas cosas, y empecé a enamorarme de ello y de cómo comenzaba a preparar las sesiones de entrenamiento.' 'Tendría la oportunidad de practicar eso con los 18s por la tarde y era algo en lo que no era bueno, y me sentía incómodo a veces.' 'Fui influenciado por Mikel, pero luego tuve que aprender a enseñar. Tuve que aprender a transmitirlo, cómo planificar una sesión y cómo obtener los resultados que querías.' 'Jugé bajo algunos buenos entrenadores y era bastante bueno entendiendo lo que quiere un entrenador, pero nunca profundicé en '¿por qué me está pidiendo que haga eso?' Mikel realmente m...

The Football Interview sera disponible sur BBC One à 12:45 BST chaque samedi pendant la saison de la Premier League, ainsi que sur BBC i Player, BBC Football You Tube et le site web et l'application de BBC Sport. Dans le septième épisode de la nouvelle saison, Kelly Somers s'assoit avec l'entraîneur de Luton Town, Jack Wilshere. La carrière footballistique de Jack Wilshere a bouclé la boucle.

Depuis ses débuts à Luton Town à l'âge de sept ans, Wilshere a ensuite remporté des trophées à Arsenal et représenté l'Angleterre lors de deux tournois majeurs, avant de devoir prendre sa retraite prématurément en raison de problèmes de blessures et de se tourner vers l'entraînement. Maintenant, il est de retour là où il a commencé, à Luton, cette fois en tant qu'entraîneur. Assis en surplomb des terrains où il jouait quand il était jeune, le trentenaire de 34 ans s'est entretenu avec Kelly Somers de BBC Sport pour The Football Interview et a évoqué sa carrière - et comment il espère utiliser ses expériences pour améliorer ses joueurs.

Un milieu offensif excitant ayant la capacité de repérer une passe ou de dribbler devant son adversaire, Wilshere a remporté deux fois la FA Cup avec les Gunners. Il a joué en Premier League 182 fois et représenté l'Angleterre à 34 reprises, apparaissant à la fois lors de la Coupe du monde au Brésil en 2014 et lors du Championnat d'Europe en France deux ans plus tard. Mais les blessures ont marqué la fin de sa carrière, avec l'annonce de sa retraite à seulement 30 ans.

Cependant, il n'y a eu aucun regret. 'J'ai adoré [ma carrière], je suis vraiment fier', a-t-il déclaré lors de l'interview, qui peut être regardée sur BBC One à 12:45 BST le samedi 3 octobre. 'J'ai eu la chance de jouer pour mon pays et de les représenter lors de deux tournois majeurs. D'accord, ils ne se sont pas déroulés comme nous le voulions, mais j'ai pu le faire.' 'J'ai marqué pour mon pays, j'ai joué pour le club que j'aimais en grandissant, donc la fierté est la chose la plus importante.' Le 13 octobre, cela fera un an depuis que Wilshere est devenu entraîneur de Luton, son premier poste d'encadrement senior - bien qu'il ait été intérimaire à la tête de Norwich City pendant deux matchs à la fin de la saison précédente. Il a déjà remporté des trophées durant son temps avec les Hatters, les menant à la victoire en EFL Trophy, battant Stockport County 3-1 à Wembley en avril devant une foule de près de 50 000 personnes. 'J'ai 34 ans maintenant et je pourrais probablement encore jouer', a-t-il ajouté. 'Ne vous méprenez pas, j'ai adoré chaque minute de jeu, mais j'aime aussi vraiment, vraiment cela et j'ai la chance de commencer mon [parcours d'entraîneur] tôt.' 'Je suis vraiment reconnaissant envers le club et le conseil d'administration de m'avoir offert cette opportunité, car ils n'en avaient pas besoin.

J'étais un jeune entraîneur voulant faire mes premiers pas dans le jeu.' Immédiatement après la fin de sa carrière de joueur, il a été invité à retourner à Arsenal pour entraîner les jeunes et il a immédiatement su que la gestion et l'entraînement étaient faits pour lui. 'J'entends des histoires de personnes qui ont du mal à prendre leur retraite et j'ai pris ma retraite un lundi, et j'étais avec les [moins de 18] le mardi', a déclaré Wilshere. 'Quand je suis allé pour la première fois et que j'ai franchi la porte de l'entraînement, j'ai réalisé que cela allait prendre le dessus sur ma vie, et j'avais besoin de m'engager dans cela si je voulais m'améliorer.' À ce moment-là, Mikel Arteta, qui avait été coéquipier de Wilshere à Arsenal pendant cinq ans, était l'entraîneur de l'équipe première. Arteta a mené les Gunners au titre de Premier League en 2025-26, leur première fois en tant que champions d'Angleterre en 22 ans, et Wilshere a senti que l'Espagnol avait joué un rôle vital dans son développement en tant qu'entraîneur. 'J'ai eu l'occasion de voir Mikel et comment il entraînait et l'influence qu'il avait', a déclaré Wilshere. 'Je lui poserais des questions, pourquoi il fait certaines choses, et j'ai commencé à tomber amoureux de cela et de la façon dont il commençait à préparer les séances d'entraînement.' 'J'aurais l'opportunité de pratiquer cela avec les 18 l'après-midi et c'était quelque chose auquel je n'étais pas bon, et je me sentais parfois mal à l'aise.' 'J'ai été influencé par Mikel, mais ensuite j'ai dû apprendre à enseigner. J'ai dû apprendre à transmettre cela, comment planifier une séance et comment obtenir les résultats que vous vouliez.' 'J'ai joué sous de bons entraîneurs et j'étais assez bon pour comprendre ce qu'un entraîneur veut, mais je n'ai jamais approfondi la question 'pourquoi il me demande de faire cela ?' Mikel a vraiment m...

The Football Interview will be available on BBC One at 12:45 BST every Saturday during the Premier League season, as well as on BBC i Player, BBC Football You Tube and the BBC Sport website and app. In the seventh episode of the new season, Kelly Somers sits down with Luton Town manager Jack Wilshere. Jack Wilshere's footballing career has gone full circle.

From starting out at Luton Town aged seven, Wilshere went on to win trophies at Arsenal and represent England at two major tournaments, before having to retire early because of injury problems and moving into coaching. Now, he is back where he began, at Luton, this time as manager. Sitting overlooking the pitches he used to play on as a youngster, the 34-year-old spoke to BBC Sport's Kelly Somers for The Football Interview and discussed his career - and how he hopes he can use his experiences to improve his players.

An exciting attacking midfielder with an ability to spot a pass or dribble past his opponent, Wilshere twice won the FA Cup with the Gunners. He played in the Premier League 182 times and represented England on 34 occasions, appearing at both the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and the European Championship in France two years later. But injuries plagued the latter part of his career, with him announcing his retirement at only 30.

However, there were no regrets. 'I loved it [my career], I'm really proud,' he said in the interview, which can be watched on BBC One at 12:45 BST on Saturday, 3 October. 'I got to play for my country and represent them at two major tournaments. OK, they didn't go the way we wanted them to, but I got to do it.' 'I scored for my country, I played for the club I loved growing up, so pride is the biggest thing.' On 13 October it will be one year since Wilshere became Luton boss, his first senior management role - although he had been in interim charge of Norwich City for a two-game spell at the end of the previous season. He has already won silverware in his time with the Hatters, guiding them to the EFL Trophy, beating Stockport County 3-1 at Wembley in April in front of a crowd of nearly 50,000. 'I'm 34 now and probably could still be playing,' he added. 'Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of playing, but I also really, really love this and I'm fortunate to start my [management] journey early.' 'I'm really grateful to the club and the board for giving me that opportunity because they didn't need to.

I was a young coach wanting to make my first step into the game.' Immediately after his playing career ended, he was invited back to Arsenal to coach their youngsters and instantly knew management and coaching was for him. 'I hear stories about people struggling in retirement and I retired on a Monday, and I was in with the [under] 18s on a Tuesday,' said Wilshere. 'When I first went and walked through the door to coaching, I realised this is going to take over my life, and I need to commit myself to this if I want to improve.' By that time Mikel Arteta, who had been Wilshere's Arsenal team-mate for five years, was first-team manager. Arteta guided the Gunners to the Premier League title in 2025-26, their first time as English champions in 22 years, and Wilshere felt the Spaniard had played a vital role in developing him as a coach. 'I got to see Mikel and how he coached and the influence he was having,' said Wilshere. 'I would ask him questions, why he's doing certain things, and I started to fall in love with it and how he started to prepare training sessions.' 'I'd get an opportunity to practice that with the 18s in the afternoon and it was something I wasn't that good at, and I felt uncomfortable at times.' 'I was influenced by Mikel, but then I had to learn how to teach. I had to learn how to get that across, how to plan a session and how to get the outcomes that you wanted.' 'I played under some good coaches and was quite good at understanding what a coach wants, but I never dived into 'why is he asking me to do that?' Mikel really m...

The Football Interview akan tayang di BBC One pukul 12:45 BST setiap Sabtu selama musim Premier League, serta di BBC i Player, BBC Football You Tube, dan situs web serta aplikasi BBC Sport. Pada episode ketujuh musim baru, Kelly Somers duduk bersama manajer Luton Town Jack Wilshere. Karir sepak bola Jack Wilshere telah membuat lingkaran.

Sejak memulai di Luton Town berusia tujuh tahun, Wilshere terus memenangkan trofi di Arsenal dan mewakili Inggris di dua turnamen besar, sebelum harus pensiun dini karena masalah cedera dan beralih ke pelatihan. Sekarang, ia kembali ke tempat ia memulai, di Luton, kali ini sebagai manajer. Duduk sambil memandangi lapangan tempat ia bermain ketika masih muda, Jack Wilshere berusia 34 tahun berbicara dengan Kelly Somers dari BBC Sport untuk The Football Interview dan membicarakan karirnya - dan bagaimana ia berharap dapat menggunakan pengalamannya untuk meningkatkan pemainnya.

Seorang tengah serang yang menarik dengan kemampuan untuk melihat sebuah pas atau mengelabui lawan, Wilshere dua kali menang FA Cup bersama The Gunners. Ia bermain di Premier League sebanyak 182 kali dan mewakili Inggris sebanyak 34 kali, tampil baik di Piala Dunia di Brasil tahun 2014 maupun di Kejuaraan Eropa di Prancis dua tahun kemudian. Namun, cedera mengganggu bagian akhir karirnya, dengan ia mengumumkan pensiun pada usia hanya 30 tahun.

Namun, tidak ada penyesalan. 'Aku mencarinya [karirku], aku sangat bangga,' kata ia dalam wawancara yang dapat ditonton di BBC One pukul 12:45 BST pada Sabtu, 3 Oktober. 'Aku mendapat kesempatan bermain untuk negaraku dan mewakili mereka di dua turnamen besar. Ya, mereka tidak berjalan seperti yang kita inginkan, tetapi aku berhasil melakukannya.' 'Aku membuat gol untuk negaraku, aku bermain untuk klub yang aku cintai sejak kecil, maka bangga adalah hal terbesar.' Pada 13 Oktober akan sudah setahun sejak Wilshere menjadi bos Luton, peran manajemen senior pertamanya - meskipun ia pernah menjalani tugas sementara sebagai penguasa Norwich City selama dua pertandingan di akhir musim sebelumnya. Ia telah memenangkan trofi selama ia bersama The Hatters, memimpin mereka untuk menang EFL Trophy, mengalahkan Stockport County 3-1 di Wembley pada April di depan kerumunan hampir 50.000 orang. 'Aku berusia 34 tahun sekarang dan mungkin masih bisa bermain,' katanya menambahkan. 'Jangan salah paham, aku mencintai setiap menit bermain, tetapi aku juga sangat, sangat mencintai hal ini dan aku beruntung bisa memulai [perjalanan sebagai manajer] awal.' 'Aku sangat berterima kasih kepada klub dan dewan karena telah memberi kesempatan ini padaku karena mereka tidak perlu melakukannya.

Aku adalah pelatih muda yang ingin melakukan langkah pertama dalam permainan.' Langsung setelah karir bermain berakhir, ia diundang kembali ke Arsenal untuk melatih pemain muda dan langsung tahu bahwa manajemen dan pelatihan adalah untuknya. 'Aku mendengar kisah tentang orang-orang yang kesulitan saat pensiun dan aku pensiun pada hari Senin, dan aku berada bersama [di bawah 18] pada hari Selasa,' kata Wilshere. 'Ketika aku pertama kali pergi dan berjalan melalui pintu menuju pelatihan, aku menyadari bahwa hal ini akan mengalihkan hidupku, dan aku perlu mengiklankan diri kepadanya jika aku ingin membaik.' Pada saat itu Mikel Arteta, yang telah menjadi rekan satu tim Wilshere di Arsenal selama lima tahun, adalah manajer tim pertama. Arteta memimpin The Gunners untuk meraih gelar juara Premier League musim 2025-26, pertama kalinya sebagai juara Inggris dalam 22 tahun, dan Wilshere merasa orang Spanyol tersebut telah memainkan peran vital dalam pengembangannya sebagai pelatih. 'Aku mendapat kesempatan untuk melihat Mikel dan cara dia melatih serta pengaruhnya,' kata Wilshere. 'Aku akan mengajukan pertanyaan, mengapa dia melakukan hal-hal tertentu, dan aku mulai jatuh cinta padanya dan cara dia mulai menyiapkan sesi pelatihan.' 'Aku akan mendapat kesempatan untuk melatih hal ini dengan [di bawah 18] pada sore hari dan ini adalah sesuatu yang aku tidak kuat melakukannya, dan aku merasa tidak nyaman terkadang.' 'Aku terpengaruh oleh Mikel, tetapi kemudian aku harus belajar cara mengajar. Aku harus belajar cara menyampaikan hal ini, cara merencanakan sesi dan cara mendapatkan hasil yang diinginkan.' 'Aku bermain di bawah beberapa pelatih yang baik dan cukup paham apa yang ingin pelatih, tetapi aku tidak pernah menelusuri mengapa dia memintaku melakukan hal itu?' Mikel really m...

The Football Interview will be available on BBC One at 12:45 BST every Saturday during the Premier League season, as well as on BBC i Player, BBC Football You Tube and the BBC Sport website and app. In the seventh episode of the new season, Kelly Somers sits down with Luton Town manager Jack Wilshere. Jack Wilshere's footballing career has gone full circle.

From starting out at Luton Town aged seven, Wilshere went on to win trophies at Arsenal and represent England at two major tournaments, before having to retire early because of injury problems and moving into coaching. Now, he is back where he began, at Luton, this time as manager. Sitting overlooking the pitches he used to play on as a youngster, the 34-year-old spoke to BBC Sport's Kelly Somers for The Football Interview and discussed his career - and how he hopes he can use his experiences to improve his players.

An exciting attacking midfielder with an ability to spot a pass or dribble past his opponent, Wilshere twice won the FA Cup with the Gunners. He played in the Premier League 182 times and represented England on 34 occasions, appearing at both the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and the European Championship in France two years later. But injuries plagued the latter part of his career, with him announcing his retirement at only 30.

However, there were no regrets. 'I loved it [my career], I'm really proud,' he said in the interview, which can be watched on BBC One at 12:45 BST on Saturday, 3 October. 'I got to play for my country and represent them at two major tournaments. OK, they didn't go the way we wanted them to, but I got to do it.' 'I scored for my country, I played for the club I loved growing up, so pride is the biggest thing.' On 13 October it will be one year since Wilshere became Luton boss, his first senior management role - although he had been in interim charge of Norwich City for a two-game spell at the end of the previous season. He has already won silverware in his time with the Hatters, guiding them to the EFL Trophy, beating Stockport County 3-1 at Wembley in April in front of a crowd of nearly 50,000. 'I'm 34 now and probably could still be playing,' he added. 'Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of playing, but I also really, really love this and I'm fortunate to start my [management] journey early.' 'I'm really grateful to the club and the board for giving me that opportunity because they didn't need to.

I was a young coach wanting to make my first step into the game.' Immediately after his playing career ended, he was invited back to Arsenal to coach their youngsters and instantly knew management and coaching was for him. 'I hear stories about people struggling in retirement and I retired on a Monday, and I was in with the [under] 18s on a Tuesday,' said Wilshere. 'When I first went and walked through the door to coaching, I realised this is going to take over my life, and I need to commit myself to this if I want to improve.' By that time Mikel Arteta, who had been Wilshere's Arsenal team-mate for five years, was first-team manager. Arteta guided the Gunners to the Premier League title in 2025-26, their first time as English champions in 22 years, and Wilshere felt the Spaniard had played a vital role in developing him as a coach. 'I got to see Mikel and how he coached and the influence he was having,' said Wilshere. 'I would ask him questions, why he's doing certain things, and I started to fall in love with it and how he started to prepare training sessions.' 'I'd get an opportunity to practice that with the 18s in the afternoon and it was something I wasn't that good at, and I felt uncomfortable at times.' 'I was influenced by Mikel, but then I had to learn how to teach. I had to learn how to get that across, how to plan a session and how to get the outcomes that you wanted.' 'I played under some good coaches and was quite good at understanding what a coach wants, but I never dived into 'why is he asking me to do that?' Mikel really m...

The Football Interview estará disponível na BBC One às 12:45 BST todo sábado durante a temporada da Premier League, bem como no BBC i Player, BBC Football You Tube e no site e aplicativo da BBC Sport. No sétimo episódio da nova temporada, Kelly Somers senta-se para conversar com o técnico do Luton Town, Jack Wilshere. A carreira futebolística de Jack Wilshere deu a volta completa.

Desde que começou no Luton Town aos sete anos, Wilshere foi conquistar troféus no Arsenal e representar a Inglaterra em dois torneios importantes, antes de ter que se aposentar precocemente devido a problemas de lesões e partir para o treinamento. Agora, ele está de volta ao lugar onde começou, em Luton, desta vez como técnico. Sentado olhando os campos onde jogava quando era jovem, o de 34 anos conversou com Kelly Somers da BBC Sport para The Football Interview e discutiu sua carreira - e como ele espera usar suas experiências para melhorar seus jogadores.

Um emocionante meio-campista atacante com a capacidade de identificar um passe ou dribelar diante do adversário, Wilshere venceu duas vezes a FA Cup com os Gunners. Ele jogou na Premier League 182 vezes e representou a Inglaterra em 34 ocasiões, aparecendo tanto na Copa do Mundo do Brasil em 2014 quanto no Campeonato Europeu da França dois anos depois. Mas as lesões assombraram a última parte de sua carreira, com ele anunciando sua aposentadoria aos apenas 30 anos.

Porém, não houve arrependimentos. 'Eu amei [minha carreira], estou realmente orgulhoso', ele disse na entrevista, que pode ser assistida na BBC One às 12:45 BST no sábado, 3 de outubro. 'Eu tive a oportunidade de jogar pelo meu país e representá-lo em dois torneios importantes. Tudo bem, eles não saíram como queríamos, mas eu consegui fazer isso.' 'Eu marquei pelo meu país, joguei pelo clube que amei crescendo, então o orgulho é a maior coisa.' Em 13 de outubro fará um ano desde que Wilshere se tornou técnico do Luton, seu primeiro cargo sênior de gestão - embora ele tenha estado no comando interino do Norwich City por um período de dois jogos no final da temporada anterior. Já conquistou troféus durante seu tempo com os Hatters, levando-os ao EFL Trophy, vencendo o Stockport County 3-1 em Wembley em abril diante de uma multidão de quase 50.000 pessoas. 'Tenho 34 anos agora e provavelmente ainda poderia estar jogando', acrescentou. 'Não me entenda errado, eu amei cada minuto de jogar, mas também realmente, realmente amo isso e tenho sorte de começar minha [jornada como gestor] cedo.' 'Estou realmente grato ao clube e ao conselho por me dar essa oportunidade porque eles não precisavam.

Eu era um jovem técnico querendo dar meu primeiro passo no jogo.' Imediatamente após o término de sua carreira como jogador, ele foi convidado a voltar ao Arsenal para treinar os jovens e imediatamente soube que gestão e treinamento eram para ele. 'Eu ouço histórias de pessoas que têm dificuldade na aposentadoria e me aposentei numa segunda-feira, e na terça-feira eu estava com os [sub-18]', disse Wilshere. 'Quando eu fui pela primeira vez e atravessei a porta para o treinamento, percebi que isso vai tomar conta da minha vida, e eu preciso me comprometer com isso se eu quiser melhorar.' Nesse momento Mikel Arteta, que havia sido companheiro de equipe de Wilshere no Arsenal por cinco anos, era o técnico da equipe principal. Arteta levou os Gunners ao título da Premier League em 2025-26, sua primeira vez como campeões ingleses em 22 anos, e Wilshere sentiu que o espanhol teve um papel vital em seu desenvolvimento como técnico. 'Eu tive a oportunidade de ver Mikel e como ele treinava e a influência que ele estava tendo', disse Wilshere. 'Eu lhe faria perguntas, por que ele está fazendo certas coisas, e comecei a me apaixonar por isso e por como ele começou a preparar as sessões de treinamento.' 'Eu teria a oportunidade de praticar isso com os 18 à tarde e era algo que eu não era bom nisso, e me sentia desconfortável às vezes.' 'Eu fui influenciado por Mikel, mas então eu tive que aprender a ensinar. Eu tive que aprender a transmitir isso, como planejar uma sessão e como obter os resultados que você queria.' 'Eu joguei sob alguns bons técnicos e era bastante bom em entender o que um técnico quer, mas nunca aprofundei a pergunta 'por que ele está me pedindo para fazer isso?' Mikel realmente m...

The Football Interview будет доступен на BBC One в 12:45 BST каждую субботу в течение сезона Премьер-лиги, а также на BBC i Player, BBC Football You Tube и на сайте и в приложении BBC Sport. В седьмом эпизоде нового сезона Келли Сомерс садится для интервью с менеджером Лутон Таун Джеком Уилшером. Футбольная карьера Джека Уилшера замкнулась в круг. Начав в Лутон Таун в возрасте семи лет, Уилшир продолжил выигрывать трофеи в Арсенале и представлять Англию на двух крупных турнирах, прежде чем вынужден был преждевременно завершить карьеру из-за проблем с травмами и перейти на тренерскую работу. Теперь он вернулся туда, где начал, в Лутон, но уже в качестве менеджера. Сидя и глядя на поля, где он играл в юности, 34-летний Уилшир поговорил с Келли Сомерс из BBC Sport для The Football Interview и обсудил свою карьеру — и как он надеется использовать свой опыт для улучшения своих игроков. Восхитительный атакующий полузащитник с умением замечать пасс или обыгрывать соперника в дриблинге, Уилшир дважды выиграл Кубок ФА с канонирами. Он сыграл в Премьер-лиге 182 раза и представлял Англию на 34 матчах, участвуя как в Чемпионате мира в Бразилии в 2014 году, так и в Чемпионате Европы во Франции через два года после этого. Но травмы преследовали latter part of his career, и он объявил о завершении карьеры в возрасте всего 30 лет. Однако сожалений не было. 'Я любил это [моя карьера], я действительно горжусь', — сказал он в интервью, которое можно посмотреть на BBC One в 12:45 BST в субботу, 3 октября. 'Я получил возможность играть за свою страну и представлять её на двух крупных турнирах. Ладно, они не сложились так, как мы хотели, но я смог это сделать.' 'Я забил за свою страну, играл за клуб, который любил с детства, поэтому гордость — самое важное.' 13 октября пройдет год с тех пор, как Уилшир стал менеджером Лутон Таун — его первая стартовая управленческая роль — хотя ранее он был временно ответственен за Норвич Сити в двух матчах в конце предыдущего сезона. Уже за время работы с Хаттерс он выиграл трофеи, выведя команду к победе в EFL Trophy, обыграв Стокпорт Каунти со счетом 3-1 на Уэмбли в апреле перед толпой почти в 50 000 человек. 'Мне 34 года, и я probabilmente всё ещё мог бы играть', — добавил он. 'Не поймите меня неправильно, я любил каждую минуту игры, но также действительно, действительно люблю это и счастлив начать свой [менеджерский] путь рано.' 'Я действительно благодарен клубу и совету директоров за предоставленную мне возможность, потому что им это было не нужно. Я был молодым тренером, который хотел сделать первый шаг в игре.' Сразу после завершения своей игровой карьеры его пригласили вернуться в Арсенал для тренировки юных игроков, и он мгновенно понял, что управление и тренировка — это его призвание. 'Я слышу истории о людях, которые борются в отставке, и я ушёл на пенсию в понедельник, а во вторник был с [командой до 18 лет]', — сказал Уилшир. 'Когда я впервые пришёл и вошёл через дверь в тренерскую, я понял, что это захватит мою жизнь, и мне нужно посвятить себя этому, если я хочу улучшиться.' К тому времени Микель Артета, который был одноклубником Уилшера в Арсенале в течение пяти лет, стал главным тренером первой команды. Артета привёл канониров к титулу чемпионов Премьер-лиги в сезоне 2025-26, их первый раз как чемпионов Англии за 22 года, и Уилшир почувствовал, что испанец сыграл важную роль в его развитии как тренера. 'Я получил возможность увидеть Микеля и как он тренирует, и какое влияние он оказывает', — сказал Уилшир. 'Я буду задавать ему вопросы, почему он делает определённые вещи, и я начал влюбляться в это и в то, как он начал готовить тренировочные сессии.' 'Я получил бы возможность попрактиковаться с этим с 18-летними днём и это было что-то, в чём я не был силен, и я временами чувствовал себя неловко.' 'Я был под влиянием Микеля, но затем мне пришлось научиться учить. Мне пришлось научиться доносить это, как планировать сессию и как получать желаемые результаты.' 'Я играл под хорошими тренерами и был достаточно хорош в понимании того, что хочет тренер, но никогда не углублялся в вопрос «почему он просит меня сделать это?» Микель действительно m...

The Football Interview will be available on BBC One at 12:45 BST every Saturday during the Premier League season, as well as on BBC i Player, BBC Football You Tube and the BBC Sport website and app. In the seventh episode of the new season, Kelly Somers sits down with Luton Town manager Jack Wilshere. Jack Wilshere's footballing career has gone full circle.

From starting out at Luton Town aged seven, Wilshere went on to win trophies at Arsenal and represent England at two major tournaments, before having to retire early because of injury problems and moving into coaching. Now, he is back where he began, at Luton, this time as manager. Sitting overlooking the pitches he used to play on as a youngster, the 34-year-old spoke to BBC Sport's Kelly Somers for The Football Interview and discussed his career - and how he hopes he can use his experiences to improve his players.

An exciting attacking midfielder with an ability to spot a pass or dribble past his opponent, Wilshere twice won the FA Cup with the Gunners. He played in the Premier League 182 times and represented England on 34 occasions, appearing at both the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and the European Championship in France two years later. But injuries plagued the latter part of his career, with him announcing his retirement at only 30.

However, there were no regrets. 'I loved it [my career], I'm really proud,' he said in the interview, which can be watched on BBC One at 12:45 BST on Saturday, 3 October. 'I got to play for my country and represent them at two major tournaments. OK, they didn't go the way we wanted them to, but I got to do it.' 'I scored for my country, I played for the club I loved growing up, so pride is the biggest thing.' On 13 October it will be one year since Wilshere became Luton boss, his first senior management role - although he had been in interim charge of Norwich City for a two-game spell at the end of the previous season. He has already won silverware in his time with the Hatters, guiding them to the EFL Trophy, beating Stockport County 3-1 at Wembley in April in front of a crowd of nearly 50,000. 'I'm 34 now and probably could still be playing,' he added. 'Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of playing, but I also really, really love this and I'm fortunate to start my [management] journey early.' 'I'm really grateful to the club and the board for giving me that opportunity because they didn't need to.

I was a young coach wanting to make my first step into the game.' Immediately after his playing career ended, he was invited back to Arsenal to coach their youngsters and instantly knew management and coaching was for him. 'I hear stories about people struggling in retirement and I retired on a Monday, and I was in with the [under] 18s on a Tuesday,' said Wilshere. 'When I first went and walked through the door to coaching, I realised this is going to take over my life, and I need to commit myself to this if I want to improve.' By that time Mikel Arteta, who had been Wilshere's Arsenal team-mate for five years, was first-team manager. Arteta guided the Gunners to the Premier League title in 2025-26, their first time as English champions in 22 years, and Wilshere felt the Spaniard had played a vital role in developing him as a coach. 'I got to see Mikel and how he coached and the influence he was having,' said Wilshere. 'I would ask him questions, why he's doing certain things, and I started to fall in love with it and how he started to prepare training sessions.' 'I'd get an opportunity to practice that with the 18s in the afternoon and it was something I wasn't that good at, and I felt uncomfortable at times.' 'I was influenced by Mikel, but then I had to learn how to teach. I had to learn how to get that across, how to plan a session and how to get the outcomes that you wanted.' 'I played under some good coaches and was quite good at understanding what a coach wants, but I never dived into 'why is he asking me to do that?' Mikel really m...