Wilshere, the new head coach of Luton in the English League One, was interviewed and talked about his communication with Arteta, his preparation for coaching, his relationship with Luton Club, and his football philosophy.

Have you communicated with Arteta before you decided to accept this job?

I talked to Mikel (Arteta) and I asked him when he felt he was ready. He laughed and said, "You have no idea, you just jump in and swim like hell." He was obviously very good at it, and I was right next to him learning. It feels a bit similar now. Of course, it's a different level, but when Tasmania first took over at Arsenal, things weren't great and the fans weren't sure what the future would hold.

This is your first official job as a first-team head coach. Do you feel ready?

I'm ready for the challenge. At least, I'm as prepared as I can be. I'm ready to be Luton's new manager, ready for the rigors of the job and ready for the rigors of League One. I'm grateful for this because it feels like exactly what I need. The first thing any young coach needs is an opportunity and the appropriate support, and I feel like I got that here. I feel like the timing is good and I'm ready.

Do you have any special connection with Luton Football Club?

This has a deep origin. Luton was my first club, the Elite Development Center where I first watched football and started playing football until I left for Arsenal when I was nine. In October 2020, after my contract with West Ham United was terminated due to injury, I also trained here. Nathan Jones (then manager) was kind enough to invite me back and I trained here before Luton were promoted to the Premier League. I love every minute of my time here. This is probably why I started thinking about coaching. The intensity that Nathan brings on and off the practice field, and the atmosphere he and the coaching staff have, I really wanted to be a part of, but unfortunately, my body said "no." It made me realize that I couldn't compete at the level I wanted to and that I had to look at other options.

How did you end up on the path of coaching?

I discovered coaching and developed a real passion and desire for it. It's like the deeper you get into it, the more you want to do better, the more you want to discover new things. I completed my professional level coaching certificate earlier this year. After leaving Norwich, I had a four-week holiday in Cyprus with my family. When I got home, I coached my son's U14 team and an U6 team on Saturdays, while also looking for the right opportunity to start my coaching career and test what I had learned.

Why did Luton choose you who lacks first-team coaching experience?

Club CEO Gary Sweet revealed that they interviewed nine candidates and after four rounds of rigorous interviews, they were finally impressed by my "energy", "ambition" and "passion for football". The club extended an official invitation to me last weekend. Luton Town were not worried about my lack of experience. Mr Sweet said: "An interesting statistic we discovered during the process was that in the last five years there have been eight managers appointed in League One with no coaching experience at all. Four of them ended up leading promotion. So, in many ways, the fresh energy and new approach brought by someone with no experience will definitely work to your advantage. "In addition, the club appointed Chris Powell to assist me to make up for my lack of experience.

What kind of football style do you want the team to play?

I don't think you can simply copy and paste. As a coach, you are who you are and that’s important. But I spent my career in the academy at Ascension, so I have my own way of thinking about the game. I like to have the ball and control the game, but before you get to that point you have to do a few things first. My coaches over the years have all said to me, you have to earn the ball. This may be an old saying in football, but it still applies. You have to earn the right to have the ball, you have to earn the right to have the fans cheering for you, and that’s what we wanted to do from the beginning.

How do you feel about the outside world comparing you with other former England internationals who have turned to coaching?

I am satisfied with my coaching journey. When people judge coaches who are former players, they may bring in some of their personality as a player and their current identity as a coach. I want to be clear, my experiences as a player, I can use them, but now that I'm a coach, please judge me as such.