Jack Wilshere

Infobox Football biography
playername = Jack Wilshere


fullname = Jack Andrew G. Wilshere
height = height|m=1.70
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1992|1|1|df=y
cityofbirth = Stevenage, Hertfordshire
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Arsenal
clubnumber = 19
position = Attacking midfielder
youthyears = 2001–2008
youthclubs = Arsenal
years = 2008–
clubs = Arsenal
caps(goals) = 01 00(0)
pcupdate = 18:04, 24 September 2008 (UTC)
nationalyears = 2006–2007
2007–
nationalteam = England U16
England U17
nationalcaps(goals) = 3 (0)
4 (1)
ntupdate = August 5, 2008

Jack Andrew G. Wilshere (born 1 January 1992 in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England) is an English footballer who plays for Arsenal. He plays as an attacking midfielder and is left-footed. Despite usually playing in the 'hole' behind the striker for the academy and reserve sides, he plays as a left or right midfielder for the first team.

Reserve career

He joined the Arsenal Academy in October 2001, when he was nine years old an in his penultimate year of the primary school. He rose through the ranks and at the age of 15 was named the captain of the under-16s; he also made a few appearances for the Under-18s. In the summer of 2007, Wilshere featured in the Champions Youth Cup and upon his return to England, Arsenal Academy coach Steve Bould gave him a start for the Under-18s first game against the Chelsea Under-18s. [cite web |url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=reserves%20and%20youth&article=480429&Title=Academy+League:+Arsenal+3-1+Chelsea/
accessdate=2008-08-05 |title=Academy League: Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea |date=2007-08-20
publisher=Arsenal.com] He scored his first goal against Aston Villa Under-18s in a 4-1 win. [cite web |url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=reserves%20and%20youth&article=481002&Title=Academy:+Arsenal+4-1+Aston+Villa/
title=Academy: Arsenal 4-1 Aston Villa |accessdate=2008-08-05 |date=2007-09-03
publisher=Arseanl.com] He then scored a hat-trick against Watford Under-18s, helping his side to an Academy Group A title. [cite web |url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=reserves%20and%20youth&article=481793&Title=Academy:+Watford+1-7+Arsenal+-+Report/
accessdate=2008-08-05 |title=Academy: Watford 1-7 Arsenal - Report |date=2007-09-18
publisher=Arsenal.com]

In February 2008, he made his debut for Arsenal Reserves against Reading, and scored Arsenal's only goal of the match. [cite web |url=http://www.arsenal.com/matchreport.asp?thisNav=reserves%20and%20youth&fxid=326774&cpid=825&clid=4436/
title=Match Report |accessdate=2008-08-05 |date=2008-02-21
publisher=Arsenal.com] In April he made his home debut, against Derby County Reserves, coming off the bench to assist Rhys Murphy. [cite web |url=http://www.arsenal.com/matchreport.asp?thisNav=reserves%20and%20youth&fxid=326779&cpid=825&clid=4436
title=Match Report |date=2008-04-14 |accessdate=2008-08-05
publisher=Arsenal.com] Against a West Ham United side, he set up the first goal for Portuguese striker Rui Fonte and was the scorer of the second goal, a curler that went into the top corner. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITVSdAzBjXY] He then played in the Atalanta Cup [cite web |url=http://youngguns.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/arsenal-under-16s-beat-juventus-to-win-atalanta-cup/
title=Arsenal Under 16’s Beat Juventus To Win Atalanta Cup |accessdate=2008-08-05
date=2008-05-05] along with the club's other Under-16 players where they won the tournament and Wilshere winning player of the tournament.

First-team career

In July 2008, Wilshere was selected in the first team for the pre-season friendlies. He made his first team debut against Barnet as a half-time substitute for Henri Lansbury. Wilshere assisted on Jay Simpson's goal. [cite web |url=http://www.arsenal.com/matchreport.asp?thisNav=&fxid=338312&cpid=708&clid=4421
accessdate=2008-08-05 |date=2008-07-19 |title=Match Report
publisher=Arsenal.com] Wilshere scored his first two goals for Arsenal in a 10–2 win against a Burgenland XI, and again two days later in a friendly against VfB Stuttgart, volleying past Jens Lehmann to make the score 3–1.

Wilshere made his home debut at the Emirates Stadium in the Emirates Cup against Juventus, wearing the number 55 shirt. After the match, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger talked about a few youngsters, including Wilshere, "There are some youngsters doing very well for us. You've seen Jack Wilshere who is catching the eye at the moment. He is surprisingly mature for his age, you forget how old he is when you see him play." [cite web |url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=494861&lid=fixture_338181&Title=Wenger+-+Emirates+Cup+is+a+step-up+for+us |accessdate=2008-08-05 |date=2008-08-04 |title=Wenger - Emirates Cup is a step-up for us |publisher=Arsenal.com] Wilshere also played again the next day against Real Madrid as a sub for Samir Nasri, and after the match Arsene Wenger remarked "I don't look too much at his age, more at what he is doing on the pitch, and right now what he is doing is good." [cite web |url=http://www.setantasports.com/en/Sport/News/Football/2008/08/04/Premier-League-Wilshere-in-first-team-squad2/ |title=Wilshere replaces Gilberto for Gunners |date=2008-08-04 |accessdate=2008-08-05 |provider=Setanta Sports]

Wenger later revealed that Wilshere will be given a place in Arsenal's first team squad, [cite web |url=http://www.arsenal.com/article.asp?thisNav=News&article=494828&lid=Homepage+-+Reserves+News&Title=Wilshere+named+in+Arsenal%27s+first-team+squad
title=Wilshere named in Arsenal's first-team squad|provider=Arsenal.com |accessdate=2008-08-05 |date=2008-08-03] and he was given the number 19 shirt that was previously worn by midfielder Gilberto Silva. He made his competitive debut in a Premier League match against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on 13 September 2008, as an 84th-minute substitute for Robin van Persie. At the age of 16 years and 256 days, he was Arsenal's youngest-ever league debutant, a record previously held by Gerry Ward. [Castles, Duncan. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/sep/14/blackburn.arsenal "Walcott sets up another rout"] , "The Guardian", September 14, 2008. Accessed September 13, 2008. "By then Wenger had added Jack Wilshere - at 16 years and 256 days, their youngest ever League footballer."] Ten days later, on 23 September, Wilshere scored his first Arsenal goal in a 6-0 victory against Sheffield United in the Carling Cup. [cite web
url=http://www.arsenal.com/match-menu/3060510/first-team/arsenal-v-sheff-utd?tab=report
title=Arsenal 6-0 Sheffield United Match Report |publisher=Arsenal.com |accessdate=2008-09-23]

International career

Since 2006, the England national football team have decided to play Jack in an age group above his age. He is only 16, but he plays for the England Under-17s. Jack was also 15 when he played for the under 16s in 2006. His Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes that Wilshere will soon play for the England national football team. [cite web |url=http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/-it-was-a-well-accomplished-away-performance- |title='It was a well-accomplished away performance' |publisher=Arsenal.com |accessdate=2008-09-25 |date=2008-09-13]

Career statistics

:"(correct as of 23 September 2008)"

References

External links

* [http://www.arsenal.com/first-team/players/jack-wilshere Profile] on Arsenal.com
*soccerbase|id=49701|name=Jack Wilshere