Jack Wilshere says Mikel Arteta and Arsenal's academy made him a manager
Jack Wilshere has revealed how Mikel Arteta and his time coaching Arsenal's under-18s shaped his management, as the Luton Town boss prepares to mark one year in charge at the club where his career began.
- Interview: Jack Wilshere speaks to Kelly Somers on The Football Interview
- Broadcast: BBC One at 12:45 BST on Saturday, 3 October; also BBC iPlayer, BBC Football YouTube, BBC Sport website and app
- Wilshere's role: Luton Town manager since 13 October, his first senior management job
- Silverware: Won the EFL Trophy with Luton, beating Stockport County 3-1 at Wembley in April
- Aim: Guiding Luton to promotion to the Championship this season
- Arsenal link: Coached Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman at the club's academy
What was said
"I loved it [my career], I'm really proud. I got to play for my country and represent them at two major tournaments. OK, they didn't go the way we wanted them to, but I got to do it. I scored for my country, I played for the club I loved growing up, so pride is the biggest thing."
"I'm 34 now and probably could still be playing. Don't get me wrong, I loved every minute of playing, but I also really, really love this and I'm fortunate to start my [management] journey early. I'm really grateful to the club and the board for giving me that opportunity because they didn't need to. I was a young coach wanting to make my first step into the game."
"I hear stories about people struggling in retirement and I retired on a Monday, and I was in with the [under] 18s on a Tuesday. When I first went and walked through the door to coaching, I realised this is going to take over my life, and I need to commit myself to this if I want to improve."
"I got to see Mikel and how he coached and the influence he was having. I would ask him questions, why he's doing certain things, and I started to fall in love with it and how he started to prepare training sessions. I'd get an opportunity to practice that with the 18s in the afternoon and it was something I wasn't that good at, and I felt uncomfortable at times. I was influenced by Mikel, but then I had to learn how to teach. I had to learn how to get that across, how to plan a session and how to get the outcomes that you wanted. I played under some good coaches and was quite good at understanding what a coach wants, but I never dived into 'why is he asking me to do that?' Mikel really made that clear and I was lucky enough to have a relationship where I could say, 'well, why do you want that?' And he was open enough to share it with me."
Wilshere's coaching education came from watching Arteta guide Arsenal to the Premier League title in 2025-26, their first time as English champions in 22 years. That vantage point gave him access to a title-winning methodology while he was still learning how to teach the game.
The most striking admission is that he felt uncomfortable at first. Many retired players assume coaching is a natural extension of playing, yet Wilshere openly says he had to learn how to plan a session and deliver outcomes. That humility explains why Luton's board backed him so quickly.
Wilshere on Max Dowman: 'You need to come watch this kid'
"Max played for my 18s team when he was 13. I remember calling my dad because I played for the 18s when I was 14. I was like, 'was 13 too young?' In the first game we could clearly see that he was ready for it. And I remember calling my dad and saying, 'you need to come watch this kid'. My dad did, and my dad's very biased, as you could imagine. But even he said, 'he's better than you'."
Wilshere was only 16 when he made his Arsenal debut, and Dowman was 15 when he first played for the Gunners senior team, with Wilshere spotting his talent early. Not only did Arsenal become English champions, but Wilshere gained extra satisfaction having coached defender Myles Lewis-Skelly, winger Ethan Nwaneri and midfielder Max Dowman during his time at the club's academy.
Learning from mistakes and a viral team talk
"Yes, I made mistakes, but I also reflect on that. I had a manager that had high standards and he let me know that he was disappointed, but he also gave me another chance. You educate them, you let them know there's a line and there's things they can't do. But also give them another chance. I believe in that."
Early in his career Wilshere had been pictured drinking and smoking, leading to criticism from then Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger. He said he learned from the experience and passes that knowledge on to his players.
Wilshere's man-management skills were shown when he delivered a passionate half-time team talk which went viral on social media, as Luton trailed Reading 3-1 on the opening day of this season, only to recover and clinch a dramatic 4-3 win.
"You have to build that relationship with the players. Players also want to have high standards. They want to be held accountable. Ever since day one, they've been all-in with what we've been trying to do. My idea is you have to work really, really hard. I want to give the players clarity in every single moment. I'd like to think I'm really hard-working, you have to be. You have to have a big love for the game because it takes over your life, which I do. Then if you have that blend and try and make it enjoyable for the players, there will be challenges along the way, but you're on the right path."
The numbers
- Age at interview: 34
- Premier League appearances: 182
- England caps: 34
- Major tournaments: Two — World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and European Championship in France two years later
- FA Cup wins: Two with Arsenal
- Retirement age: 30
- Arsenal's 2025-26 title: First English championship in 22 years
- Wembley crowd: Nearly 50,000 for the EFL Trophy final
Why Arteta's methods matter at Kenilworth Road
The lessons Wilshere took from Mikel Arteta are not about copying a title-winning system. They are about session design and clarity. Wilshere says he learned to plan a session and get the outcomes he wanted, a process that matters more in League One where coaching time is limited and squads are smaller.
His handling of Max Dowman shows a manager willing to trust youth early. Playing a 13-year-old for the under-18s was a bold call that he debated with his own father. That instinct will shape Luton's recruitment and selection as he targets promotion to the Championship.
The viral half-time talk against Reading is already part of Luton's season story. Trailing 3-1 on the opening day and winning 4-3 tells you the dressing room responded. Wilshere's ability to hold players accountable while offering second chances comes directly from his own experiences under Arsene Wenger.
Talking points
- Wilshere says he could still be playing at 34. Choosing management a year ago already looks vindicated by the EFL Trophy, but promotion would prove it properly.
- Arteta's influence is clear, yet Wilshere admits he had to learn how to teach. That distinction between knowing and explaining is what separates good coaches from great ones.
- Calling his dad about Dowman shows Wilshere trusts his own eye. Luton fans should expect more teenagers given first-team chances this season.
- The Wenger second-chance principle is admirable, but in a promotion race there is less room for patience than in an academy.
What happens next
Wilshere will continue his push to take Luton back to the Championship, with the Hatters' League One campaign the immediate focus. The full interview with Kelly Somers airs on BBC One at 12:45 BST on Saturday, 3 October, and is available on BBC iPlayer, BBC Football YouTube and the BBC Sport website and app. Episode seven of the new season, with Wilshere, follows the same slot every Saturday during the Premier League season.
Frequently asked questions
What time is Jack Wilshere on The Football Interview?
The episode airs at 12:45 BST on Saturday, 3 October on BBC One, and is also available on BBC iPlayer, BBC Football YouTube and the BBC Sport website and app.
Who did Wilshere coach at Arsenal's academy?
He coached defender Myles Lewis-Skelly, winger Ethan Nwaneri and midfielder Max Dowman during his time at the club's academy.
Has Jack Wilshere won a trophy as Luton manager?
Yes. He guided Luton to the EFL Trophy in April, beating Stockport County 3-1 at Wembley in front of a crowd of nearly 50,000.
Related Articles
Filed under: Manager News | LA Premier League Home
