For a man who claims to have resolved his anger management issues, Jack Wilshere does not exactly shy away from confrontation. The England midfield player showed his combative side again yesterday, accusing Jamie Redknapp of disrespecting him by indulging in reckless and aggressive criticism of his performances for Arsenal.
Like a streetwise schoolboy, Wilshere may not start fights, but certainly seems prepared to finish them. His beef with Redknapp goes back to the opening day of the season when, after Arsenal’s laboured win over Crystal Palace, the former Liverpool midfield player suggested that Wilshere may soon lose his place in the side.
Wilshere appears to have become the former-pros-turned-pundits’ whipping boy of choice in recent months. He sought out Paul Scholes for advice after criticism from the former Manchester United midfield player at the end of last season, but will not be picking up the phone to Redknapp after he queried Wilshere’s fitness levels.
As Redknapp’s career was interrupted by injuries, Wilshere expected a more empathetic approach after the ankle problems that have limited him to 21 England caps in the four years since making his debut, and he has a point.
“I listen to the people who I work closely with,” Wilshere said. “With all due respect, I think Redknapp should have a little bit of respect and understanding — he was injured more than I was. It’s easy for someone to go on television and say: ‘He should be doing this, he should be doing that.’ But, if you look back, he was injured just as much as I was. Maybe more than I was. And he was never injured at my age as well.
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“It takes a lot of mental strength to come back. I don’t need that. I listen to people like the boss here and Gary Neville, people who talk a lot of sense and can help me with my game.
“I’ll take criticism, it’s part and parcel of football. But when it’s just reckless and aggressive, I don’t listen.”
Wilshere is more inclined to listen to Arsène Wenger, who has been open in describing this as a make-or-break season for him. The Frenchman’s previously somewhat indulgent attitude to Wilshere appears to have hardened over the summer, not least after he was caught smoking in public for the second time this year on holiday in Las Vegas.
“The only way you learn from your mistakes is by growing up, accepting they are mistakes and learning from them, and listening to the people who can help you,” Wilshere said. “I spoke with the boss after the first time and he was accepting, saying: ‘I’m French and I’ve been on a team bus with French players who are smoking.’ But the second time it was: ‘Look, come on Jack. This is a big season for you.’ I knew that already.
“If I smoked 20 a day and scored 20 a season, it wouldn’t be a problem. But I don’t smoke. I’ve been caught a couple of times, but I’m not a regular smoker. I’ve said that before, and whether you believe me or not is down to you.
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“I’m not reckless. I have two kids. I don’t want them growing up thinking: ‘Look at Daddy, he goes out all the time. He smokes.’ I’m not one of them. It’s under control. I went on holiday, had a good time and enjoyed it, but as soon as I came back to pre-season training I said I’d be fit and ready to start. I have been.”
Wilshere agrees with Wenger’s assessment that this should be a breakthrough season for him, particularly at international level, where the retirements of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have left a gaping chasm at the heart of England’s midfield. The 22-year-old should be well placed to fill the void, and will get another opportunity to develop a partnership with Liverpool’s Jordan Henderson on Monday when England begin their European Championship qualifying campaign in Switzerland, who were the opponents at Wembley three years ago when Wilshere aggravated that niggling ankle injury that has caused him so many problems.
At times it must have felt like a very long road back for Wilshere, who admitted yesterday fear of a recurrence has hindered his performances, and led to him being consumed with anger.
One-on-one sessions with Pete Lindsay, an Arsenal psychologist, have helped him to get his feelings under control, but he is still prepared to fight his corner, as Redknapp has just discovered.
“I don’t think it was ever the confidence with the injury,” Wilshere said. “It wasn’t the worry, it was the frustration if you like. Now I’ve learnt to enjoy my football while I can. Every time I’m on the pitch I just enjoy it. I’m not as aggressive, not as angry.
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“If something goes wrong, a couple of years ago I would have gone to the physio: ‘Look, my ankle’s not right.’ Now I’m on top of it, I’m enjoying my football and I’ve grown up. I realise things aren’t going to go my way every week. Of course they’re not. You can’t expect them to.
“I’ve worked with a psychologist at Arsenal and he’s really helped me. He’s taught me that, if your head’s not right, it can affect other parts of your body. So get that right and enjoy your football, and that’s what I’m trying to do.
“It’s a big season for me. There’s no point in me saying, ‘I’ve got another year to develop’. I’m 22 now. Look at Germany. Mario Götze won the World Cup for Germany and he’s 22, he’s my age. It is time to deliver.”
Suffering in numbers
66
League appearances missed by Wilshere for Arsenal in past three years
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14
Months that Wilshere spent on sidelines after suffering an ankle problem in 2011
21
England caps won by Wilshere in four years since his debut
2
Wilshere’s 90-minute appearances for England
0
Goals scored by Wilshere for his country