Jack Wilshere has outlined why Luton Town deliberately reduced the size of their squad in January, insisting the changes were driven by hunger, culture and the need to work more closely with players on the training ground.
The Hatters saw ten players leave in January, with just five arriving during the window, including several departures on deadline day, as the manager used his first transfer period in charge to shape a group he believes can push on over the remainder of the season to achieve promotion.
Leaving the club permanently were Marvelous Nakamba (contract terminated), Lamine Fanne (transfer to Venezia), while there were loan exits for Reuell Walters (Blackpool), Milli Alli and Jacob Brown (Portsmouth), Jerry Yates (Sheffield Wednesday), Lasse Nordås (Heerenveen), Christ Makosso (Oxford United), Joe Gbodé (Woking) and Zack Nelson (AFC Wimbledon).
“I personally wanted players that wanted to be here,” Wilshere told LTFC+, adding: That doesn’t necessarily mean that everyone that went out didn’t want to be here. There were a few and we managed to get them out and bring in players that are hungry to try and help the club get back to where we want to be.”
Wilshere said shrinking the squad was also a conscious decision following months of assessment after his arrival in October, allowing both players and coaches greater clarity and focus.
He said: “I was here probably three, three-and-a-half months before the window came and I wanted to spend that three-and-a-half months, number one, trying to win games, but also assessing the group, feeling what the the mood was, feeling the culture, seeing the players that that were hungry to try and help us, seeing the players that were were happy to just float through until the window came.
“I did that. I spent a lot of time with the recruitment team, with the coaches, trying to assess that and speaking about what we think, what we want, going forward after January, and it was a smaller group.”
Wilshere admitted selecting matchday squads at Luton will remain challenging ahead of tomorrow’s lunchtime kick-off at home to Bradford, but believes a leaner group keeps players motivated.
“I spoke about picking a squad here is is difficult and it still is because we’re still going to have players over that won’t make squads, but it gives um gives them players a real belief, I think, that they are close and they can be involved and it keeps them hungry,” he said.
Wilshere also said the benefits of a smaller squad are felt daily at training.
“I think we can we can give more more detail to the the players. I think we’ve worked incredibly hard to try and change the identity of the team, or bring an identity to the team.
“And I think we’ve done a really good job at doing that. That was again a big focus when we came here because I thought then it would identify what we did need in January and who who they were.”
Wilshere added: “I think having a smaller group gives us gives us an opportunity to work more closely, work more individually with the players, and the main thing for me is the hunger.”
Several players departed on deadline day, including club stalwart Nakamba, whose contract was terminated, enabling the midfielder to move to Sheffield Wednesday.
“Marv is someone who who brought so much energy to the group,” Wilshere said. “Obviously, it didn’t quite work out for him this year here, but everyone at the club, as soon as I walked through the door, they they told me about him.
“I obviously know the history and what he um what he achieved here in helping the club get get into the Premier League and how important he was he was for that. So yeah, nothing but but positive words to say about Marv and and wish him really well with with whatever he has next.”
On Walters, who Wilshere knows from his time at Arsenal, the manager said game time was key.
“He hasn’t played the minutes here that he wanted to and he was one that, for him to develop and him to to go on to have a career in the game, he needs to go out and play games.”
Wilshere also revealed Jacob Brown was keen to move on after his injury comeback, saying: “Brownie is a player who who I have a lot of respect for. He came back from a tough injury, a similar injury to actually what I had. So, we spent a lot of time talking about it and it was clear that he wanted to get out and play football. Good luck to him.”
Though five of the Luton players loaned out went to clubs in higher divisions, Wilshere stressed that not all of those exits were long-term decisions.
“We also had some players go out who I see as future players for the club, but they probably wouldn’t get the game time they needed right now,” the Town boss said.
“I think we got that balance right. Now we can focus on the rest of the season. We can keep an eye on the players we sent out on loan to see how they’re getting on, how they’re improving and developing, and also to maintain some value in them as well. Overall, I think we had a good window.”
He added: “Football changes quickly and, ultimately, if we get the goal that we want, which is promotion, the team probably looks a little bit different next year and then certain players that have gone out on loan will probably be able to help us.”
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