Jack Wilshere says Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta’s words of encouragement to “just start swimming” helped him find the confidence to begin his managerial career — but insists he’ll build his own identity at Luton Town rather than copying anyone else’s style.
The former England midfielder said advice from his former team-mate turned Gunners boss, plus other top coaches, had stayed with him as he prepared for his first permanent job in management, which was realised when he was unveiled as the new Hatters boss on Monday.
Some time ago Wilshere asked Arteta how he knew he was ready for the manager’s hotseat, which he took at The Emirates Stadium in 2019,
“He laughed and laughed. He said, ‘you just have to jump in and swim as hard as you can’,” Wilshere revealed.
“He’s obviously done that really well, and I was close to that. This [the Luton job] feels a little bit similar to that. Of course, it’s a it’s a different level. But when Mikel went in, it wasn’t a nice place at Arsenal. The fans were not sure what was happening, and what he did was he built a complete unity, a complete trust in what he was doing and very family. It feels like a family here as well.
“Getting people on board and getting people to believe and convincing them, Mikel was good at that. And there’s definitely things I take from him on his journey.”
While he has taken influence from others, Wilshere’s approach will be shaped on his own terms.
“I watched Mikel. it reminded me a lot of Eddie Howe the way that he coached [at Bournemouth] and how he taught and how he had energy to bring players with him and how the players bought into it,” he said.
“I don’t think you can copy and paste, that’s for sure, as a manager. And that’s in terms of on the pitch, but also behaviours and how you act, who you are as a coach. And and that’s important, of course.
“I spent my life in the academy at Arsenal, so I have a way of thinking about the game. Of course, I like the ball and I want to have control of the game, but there are things you have to do before you can get to that.
“Head coaches over the years say to me, ‘you have to earn the right’. And it’s probably an old saying in football, but that is still there – ou have to earn the right to get the ball. You have to earn the right for the fans to cheer you. And and that’s something we’ll be looking to do from the start.”
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