New Luton Town boss Jack Wilshere has a focus on restoring unity, confidence and connection throughout the club after a bruising 18 months, with back-to-back relegations and struggles in League One that have tested the patience of supporters who are desperate for something to believe in again.
The Hatters this week handed the 33-year-old rookie manager a big job in every sense, though the addition of the vastly experienced Chris Powell as his number two has been a welcome one. But the former England coach has said that it will be Wilshere’s Luton team.
Immediately, it’s one the young boss takes charge of having lost four of its last six games, with the 2-0 defeat at near neighbours Stevenage proving the end of Matt Bloomfield’s time in the hotseat.
But even after the departure of Wilshere’s predecessor, this season plumbed new depths with a 3-1 defeat at League Two Cambridge United in the Vertu Trophy.
Losses in recent weeks have been accompanied with chants from fans of, “you’re not fit to wear the shirt” which has all been a far cry from the harmony that was at the core of a history-making ten-year rise from the non-league to the Premier League.
But, since taking charge at Kenilworth Road, former Arsenal and England midfielder Wilshere has made it clear that togetherness will underpin everything he wants to build at Luton – with promotion back to the Championship still the stated aim.
“We need to bring the town and the team together again. That’s when Luton are at their best,” he said.
And he has spoken about the need for a common purpose and a shared culture, which he glimpsed as a player when training with Nathan Jones’ squad a few seasons ago — a period which was eye opening, not only in the intensity that one of his predecessors demanded, but also as a pivotal moment where he began to realise that his injury-ravaged career as a player was coming to a premature end, and that coaching may be his next calling.
“It feels like a family here, and that’s what I want to build on. Getting people on board, getting people to believe, convincing them — that’s what it’s about. We’ve got to do it together,” Wilshere said, having started his football journey with the Hatters before getting plucked from the club’s Centre of Excellence by Arsenal, aged nine.
But he stressed that his vision goes beyond tactics, saying: “The biggest thing for me is to create a culture where everyone’s accountable. Everyone in the building has a role to play, and we have to do it together. You can have the best plan in the world, but it’s the people who make it work.”
Pride and standards will be central to his work with the Luton players, who he met for the first time on Monday.
“I want to bring energy, I want to bring enthusiasm, I want to bring belief back into the group. I said to the players this morning that every training session, every game, is a chance to show who we are. We’ve got to represent this club properly,” Wilshere said before that first meeting with his new squad.
Club videos have seen documented his first day in the job, in which he told the group of his belief that, “we’ve got good players,” while adding of his admiration for the club’s journey to the Premier League, believing that they “don’t lose that fire, that fight, that energy, that hunger.”
But in outlining his vision, Wilshere also spoke about leadership and the values he expects to see on and off the pitch.
“You don’t have to be shouting and screaming to lead,” he said. “Sometimes leadership is about listening, about helping people through things. It’s about setting standards and sticking to them.”
He added: “I’ve always loved the challenge. Even as a player, I never wanted the easy route. This is no different. I know there’ll be ups and downs. That’s football. The key is how we react, how we respond, and we’ll do that together.”
Wilshere knows that restoring the connection between Luton and its supporters will be crucial as he tries to turn things around.
“I want to give the fans a team they can be proud of. They deserve that. When this club is together — the team, the fans, the town — it’s powerful,” he said.
Wilshere takes charge of his first game in permanent management this Saturday at home to Mansfield. He said: “It’s not just about tactics, it’s about people. Getting to know them, helping them, pushing them. I want to bring the best out of everyone here.”
He added: “The only way we move forward is if we do it together.”
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