Jack Wilshere, the manager of Luton Town, discusses his career and coaching philosophy in a recent interview with BBC Sport's Kelly Somers, which will air on BBC One at 12:45 BST on Saturday, October 3. Wilshere, who began his football journey at Luton Town at the age of seven, later enjoyed a notable playing career, winning trophies with Arsenal and representing England in two major tournaments before retiring early due to injuries.

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Now 34, Wilshere has returned to Luton as a manager, having previously served in interim management at Norwich City. He reflects on his time at Arsenal, where he played under Mikel Arteta, and credits him with significantly influencing his coaching style.

During his playing career, he won two FA Cups with Arsenal and accumulated 182 Premier League appearances and 34 international caps. Despite the challenges posed by injuries leading to his retirement at 30, he expresses pride in his career. "I loved it... I got to play for my country and represent them at two major tournaments," he stated.

Wilshere became the Luton boss on October 13, 2022, and achieved early success by guiding the team to victory in the EFL Trophy final against Stockport County at Wembley in April, in front of nearly 50,000 fans. He acknowledges the fortunate timing of stepping into management early and emphasizes his dedication to the role, stating, "I need to commit myself to this if I want to improve."

After retiring, he immediately began coaching Arsenal's youth teams, realizing his passion for management. He describes his relationship with Arteta as pivotal, where he was able to learn and ask questions that shaped his understanding of coaching. "I started to fall in love with it," he shared about the practice of preparing training sessions.

Moreover, he expresses pride in having coached players like Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ethan Nwaneri, and Max Dowman at Arsenal. He recalls spotting Dowman's talent at a young age, noting that he recognized the player's readiness for higher competition early on.

As he aims to lead Luton to Championship promotion this season, Wilshere emphasizes the importance of guiding his young players through the challenges of professional football. He acknowledges his past mistakes and aims to educate his players about maintaining high standards.

His man-management skills were highlighted following Luton's dramatic comeback from a 3-1 deficit against Reading on the opening day of the season. "Players want to have high standards... They’ve been all-in with what we’ve been trying to do," he said, emphasizing the necessity of hard work and clarity in training.

Through these experiences, Wilshere aims to foster a strong relationship with his players while instilling a love for the game.