Lifting the Vertu Trophy as Luton Town manager was a “better” feeling than his FA Cup successes as a player, Jack Wilshere admitted after guiding the Hatters to a 3-1 win over Stockport County at Wembley yesterday.
The victory secured the club’s second triumph in the competition, adding to their 2009 success, and marked the first honour of the 34-year-old’s managerial career, in just his 40th game in the hotseat, after taking charge of the Hatters in October.
A brace from Nahki Wells after Emilio Lawrence equalised, ensured Wilshere got his hands on the silverware, 11 years after winning his second FA Cup as a player.
“It’s better and don’t get me wrong, I loved every single second of my [playing] career, especially the times when we came here and won trophies, but to do it as a coach and with the people as well is better,” he said.
“I genuinely mean that too as I’ve felt nothing but love since I’ve been here. From the board, from Gary [Sweet – CEO], from Moons [James Mooney – operations director], from everyone.
“Everyone at the training ground, the physios, the staff, they’ve backed me and they’ve got behind me and believed in me and I couldn’t have done it without them.
“So to be standing there on the side of the pitch as the leader, but behind a really hard working group of people who want the best for this club, it feels really good.”
Wilshere, who won the FA Cup two years in a row with the Gunners, said the shift in responsibility from player to manager had made the achievement even more meaningful.
“When you’re a player you are selfish because your main concern is making sure you’re right, physically you’re right, mentally you’re right, technically you’re right,” he said.
“Then as a coach you’re job is to do that for everyone and the players most importantly, but the staff as well and empower the staff and inspire the staff to believe in you and commit themselves, which they do every single day, to improving the players, making sure the players have all they can. And there’s more responsibility as a coach, of course there is, so I’d say that’s the biggest thing.”
Wilshere also highlighted the importance of his more experienced players in helping guide the squad through difficult moments during the season and in the final itself.
“It’s a really nice feeling. Mainly I’m just happy for the players as we spoke a lot after games, before games, and at times we’ve spoken about confidence,” he said.
“We’ve spoken about belief, which you can’t change overnight, you have to go through and experience things, come back stronger and you need players who can help you with that.
“Nahki being one, Kal [Naismith] being one, Savs [George Saville], Clicker [Jordan Clark], people like that, who have had a career in the game.
“They know that football is a beautiful game when it’s nice and you get to play, but if you don’t have resilience and the ability to deal with adversity and come through it, then this game will eat you up.
“They’re so important to the other players, the young players, the Emilios, the Jakes, the players that are starting out in their careers and I’m just really happy for them.”
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