Jack Wilshere names Arsenal star who was ‘difficult’ to deal with and ‘hammered me’

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Arsenal hero Jack Wilshere has named the player who he found ‘difficult’ to deal with in the dressing room and ‘hammered me’ as a kid upon breaking through for the club.

A fresh-faced Wilshere burst from Arsenal’s academy on September 13, 2008 under Arsene Wenger for his senior debut. The midfielder replaced Robin van Persie as a late substitute in a Premier League win over Blackburn Rovers at only 16 years, eight months and 12 days old.

Wilshere became Arsenal’s youngest-ever league player at Ewood Park, until Ethan Nwaneri stole his record on September 18, 2022. The Hale End hero would also go on to register 197 appearances for the Emirates Stadium side. Wilshere also scored 14 and assisted 30 goals.

Jack Wilshere reflects on his ‘difficult’ teammates at Arsenal

Injuries ruined what might have been a sensational career in north London for the two-time FA Cup winner. Wilshere helped to add to Arsenal’s trophy cabinet in 2014 and 2015. He also had spells with AFC Bournemouth, West Ham United and Aarhus GF, before retiring in 2022.

Hanging up his boots saw Wilshere pick up a whistle to become Arsenal’s Under-18 manager in July 2022. He is now developing the next generation of Hale End heroes, who will strive to follow in the 34-cap England international’s footsteps. But Wilshere can still recall his start.

William Gallas ‘hammered’ Jack Wilshere as an 18-year-old

Wilshere has now reflected on his breakthrough and praises Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas and Bacary Sagna for how they helped the midfielder settle into the Arsenal squad. But he is less forthcoming with praise for Van Persie or William Gallas, having been ‘difficult’ to deal with.

Gallas, in particular, ‘hammered’ Wilshere as a kid for giving the ball away. He can especially recall an FA Cup third-round win at West Ham United in January 2010 where the centre-half tore into him aged 18. Gallas left Arsenal in June 2010 and he signed for Tottenham Hotspur.

“I’m sat in there with Nasri, with Gallas, with Cesc and there was some difficult characters in there,” Wilshere said on the Up Front with Simon Jordan podcast. “Nasri was really good for me, Cesc was really good for me, Bacary Sagna was like a big brother to me.

“But then you had the Williams Gallas who was difficult, the Robin van Persie. Well, William hammered me a few times as a young player for giving the ball away. One of my biggest fears about, you know, playing. I remember playing an FA Cup game, West Ham away.

“I was only 16, 17 and I played on the left wing and I gave the ball away a few times, and he absolutely battered me. And I remember thinking, ‘I’m here now like this ain’t development, this ain’t, well, ok you might make a few passes, it don’t matter. This is reality’.”