Wilshere: I’m starting again

Jack Wilshere wants to kick-start his game and his confidence on loan at Bournemouth from Arsenal. Geoff Shreeves heads to the beach to talk to the midfielder about his form, fitness and future…

Jack Wilshere is standing in front of me on Bournemouth beach, squinting into the last of a beautiful day’s rays.

He is certainly not complaining though. In fact, he is smiling broadly because he freely admits he has at times thought over the past 24 months that the sun was setting on his career.

“Let’s forget the last two years,” he says.

“Two years of injuries, of coming back, of trying to get fit and not getting in the team and then picking up another injury and missing too much football.

“Let’s just erase the last two years and start again.”

We have been filming a documentary for Sky Sports with Jack for much of that period so have witnessed first-hand the huge disappointments and endless setbacks he has suffered.

We joke with him that we have been worrying about our programme being made. He laughs out loud at us, saying he understands our concerns.

It is great to see a smile on his face once again and he has no doubts as to why he can now smile.

“I don’t think you can put into words the feelings you get playing week in and week out,” he explains.

“When I was young at Arsenal, you take it for granted playing all the time. Once you’re fit and you get a run of games, you can do a lot more on the pitch; you can express yourself; your confidence comes back and I think I’ve got to that stage.

“There was a time at Arsenal when I was coming back from injury and trying to get fit or even when I first came to Bournemouth when I was thinking ‘let’s get through this game, get my fitness up and move on to the next game’.

“Now I’m at the stage where I’m enjoying it. I’m trying different things and I’m getting that feeling back and getting fitter and fitter each week.”

Bossing a game, driving it from midfield, that is Jack’s wish and he cannot do that without fitness, confidence and being sure of himself.  

Having said that, he confesses that for obvious reasons his head was all over the show when he went to The Emirates last weekend.

“It was really strange,” he says.

“I got to the game and walked up the tunnel and thought ‘where do I go first?’ Do I go …

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