Jack set for a spell on the bench? Brady and Coyle speak out….

Born in Stevenage in 1992 Jack Wilshere’s football began at Luton. he wasn’t there very long, a couple of months I believe before he joined Arsenal 2001. He would become captain of the under 16’s in 2007 and in the same year made his England debut, for the under 17’s. The following year he played his first game for the Arsenal reserves but a call up to the first team came during that year as well – scoring during a game which he made his first start. January 2009, the most important date, Jack Wilshere signed his first professional contract, the first of many we all hope. This year has seen him become a regular for the first team and he now represents England, both the under 21’s and the ‘Big Boys’

Not bad for an 18 yr old, eh?

What’s great about Jack Wilshere, other than his fine array of footballing skills is he was free. He’s an Englishman, he’s played for no other club but Arsenal, he’s ours and hopefully he’ll always be ours. Arsene Wenger didn’t go and scout him somewhere abroad and then have to spend silly money in order to get this wonderfully talented young player.

Over the last few seasons we have all watched him develop through the youth, reserves and now the first team. We’ve ranted on about how special this kid was and is and cried out for Wenger to give this young one a chance. Now he has and I’m sure he has not looked back. (wish he would do the same with Chesney)

Arsene Wenger since his arrival in English Football has maintained tha his goal was to bring his young English players through the Academy – again, we all knew they were there but Jack is the first to burst onto the scene, by all accounts there are a few more to follow. Henri Lansbury is one, he’s in around the first team and it won’t be too long before he’s playing in the same Arsenal side which boasts Theo Walcott and Wilshere. There are more to follow in their footsteps over the coming season, bringing with them a few overseas talented younger players too.

So Chelsea, you can have all your money right now but one day you will have to replace your ageing old bunch and that will come at a cost! If Roman gets bored, it could come a one heck of a cost!!

Back to Jack, I read a lovely article about our little 5′ 7″ midfielder yesterday and I’ve re-printed the comments from Liam Brady and Owen Coyle….

Jack was described as being a player with control, skill, vision, speed and strength. An ability to read the game, beat a man, find the killer pass and drop back to defend. Fearless, mature, dedicated and hungry.

Liam Brady –

You’ve got to be of a very high technical standard to reach Arsene’s first team, regardless of your nationality, We’ve had plenty of English lads who have hit the crossbar but that’s not good enough.

How many English players have broken through at the other leading Premier League clubs in the last 10 years The bar has been raised by the foreign players and it’s extremely difficult to reach that level. Jack Wilshere is different to most other English boys. He is highly technical – and that should be the target. Arsenal have a regime which is all about technique and that helps the likes of Jack come through. Perhaps if other English clubs thought similarly we would have more technical players.We have an abundance of strong, forceful, determined and aggressive players, but technical ones? No. It’s countries like Spain and the Netherlands who are producing those.

Even from those early days he showed tremendous determination to make it. He always turned up early for training and matches. He was always ‘up for it.

We’ve had a few good players at the academy and David Bentley is one who springs to mind. He was also exceptionally skilful. But Jack had a style of his own and, aside from skill, he was hugely dedicated. From what I’ve seen over the years, that is such a vital ingredient. We always had high hopes for him but we really started to get excited once he hit 13 or 14.

Owen Coyle who had the pleasure of Wilshere’s services last season for a few months –

Jack is a very gifted player with so much natural ability, allied to that, he has a really good temperament and a burning desire to be an Arsenal player. He drives with the ball, commits defenders and that can give you a four-versus-three or five-versus-four four scenario, which results in goals. He is the type of player who can make the difference between you winning and losing games. You could see that in the way he set up Arsenal’s opening goal against Partizan Belgrade. If Lionel Messi had executed that piece of skill, everybody would have been raving about it. This season he’s ready, he’s starting to move through the gears.

It’s great news for Arsenal and England, less so for their opponents. On his first day of training my captain Kevin Davies was very physical with him, but Jack didn’t complain and got on with it and wasn’t intimidated. He had instant control, a good football brain, a lovely left foot and he could beat people.

Liam Brady –

We did have a few problems with him over his temper, for a couple of seasons, it was an issue we had to work hard to iron out. If he was on the receiving end of a foul, he would often react and try to take retribution in the next tackle. He was struggling to get the better of that situation but now he appears to have it under control. It made me chuckle watching some of the tackles he got hit with at Tottenham and Partizan. For a split second I thought ‘oh no’ but he kept calm and his reaction was wonderful.
Jack has shown everyone that if you’re good enough then you’re old enough to make it at the very highest level, I expect him to be an England international who goes on to play scores of games for his country and to be a leader of an Arsenal team that wins many trophies.

Injuries allowing, he is going to be at the top end of the football spectrum for a long time. We’re in for a good future watching Jack Wilshere. He’s going to be a huge player for Arsenal and England over the next 10 years and hopefully beyond.

The above comments really do Jack Wilshere justice, but just as the article did at the end, I have the same question in my mind.

If we had a fully fit midfield – Ramsey, AA, Diaby, Cesc, Nasri, Rosicky, Denilson, Song and Eboue, would Wenger still play Jack Wilshere??

I would and I am sure most, if not all Arsenal fans would, but would Wenger – I guess it won’t be too long before we find out….