Barnsley defeat felt like being hit by Mike Tyson but Wilshere still loves being Luton boss

Dealing with defeats remains the hardest part about first team management, according to Town boss Jack Wilshere, who completed a year in charge of the Hatters on Tuesday, admitting the 5-0 loss at Barnsley felt like being punched in the face by Mike Tyson.

The 34-year-old was appointed as Matt Bloomfield’s successor 12 months ago, as having been head coach of the Arsenal U18s, and also part of the backroom staff at Norwich City, spending two matches in caretaker charge, he was finally afforded an opportunity to be in the dug-out as the main man himself.

Although he was able to celebrate his anniversary with the 27th win from his 55 matches thanks to a 4-1 success at Wycombe Wanderers last weekend, drawing 14 and losing 14, Wilshere stated that getting over a reverse, particularly a heavy one like at Oakwell, has been the toughest learning curve for him, saying: “When I first came into it last season, that hit me really hard.

"Not hard where I was affected by it, but actually going through it and experiencing it and living it. That is the way it is, but I’ve tried to work on that, since last season, in the off season. What we try and do is be really processed-driven, where if we win or we lose, we go through the same process. Of course, when you’re upstairs, you shut your office door and you’re on your own, you do then think probably more about the defeats and why, but I’m working on that and we try and be as balanced as we can.

“There’s been a few occasions where me and Powelly (Chris Powell) and the coaches have joked that they don’t teach you that on the pro license. The one that stands out is 5-0 we lost against Barnsley last year, where that hit me like Mike Tyson hitting me in the face and it wasn’t nice. But even from those times, the next game we went up against a good Huddersfield team and we won. So I look back at those periods and those moments where I looked at the players, I looked in their eyes and asked them to deliver something and they delivered it.

"That’s a proud moment, there’s a few of them that happened. Of course we don’t want the five-nil’s to happen, but Wembley (winning the Vertu Trophy final) is a massive one that without doubt is the best day I’ve ever had in football, be it as a player, or be it as a coach. To win something with a group of players that we went through so much with them, tried to create a platform to help us be successful this year, but loads of moments like that.”

Having had a playing career that was blighted by injury, making 197 appearances for the Gunners, with spells at Bolton Wanderers, AFC Bournemouth, West Ham United and AGC, also winning 34 caps for England, Wilshere hung up his boots in July 2022. Determined to get into the game as manager, he knew it might be at a club that was struggling, which Town were when they ended Matt Bloomfield’s reign following a 2-0 loss at Stevenage, and the fact they opted for Wilshere over more experienced candidates, was something he will be eternally thankful for.

He continued: “When you’re in season and there’s so much going on, I find it difficult to reflect, it’s always the next thing, the next challenge. Probably the moments when you’re driving home or you’re in your office on your own then you can reflect, but I’ve learned so much, so much. One of the words that comes to my mind was grateful, because of the opportunity and I mentioned this before, but when I left Norwich as a coach, I left because I felt I was ready to become a head coach.

"Then I was at home for about four months and in that four months it was a good time to reflect on the journey and also a good time to think about the future. I was watching football, watching League One, watching League Two, thinking about when and where the opportunity was going to come.

"The more you’re at home and you think, the more you get in your own head. I was thinking, well, where is this opportunity going to come from? It’s probably going to come from a club where there’s going to be a little bit of pressure, and at that point, are they going to give someone their first job? So really grateful to the club for this opportunity.”

Asked what has been the main thing he has learned since taking sole control, Wilshere said: “I’ve learned so much, honestly, it’s really, really hard to try and put it into a sentence. Probably the biggest thing is listen to everyone. The history and the people around that know so much about it and the journey the club has been on, I’d be a fool not to listen to that and take that in.

"But then also be really clear and be really brave with what you think and stick to your principles, stick to what you believe in, while taking a little bit of the history and trying to create your own. There’s so much that’s happened, so much to look forward to, so much we’ve suffered and there’s been some tough times, but I’m still really grateful.”

Having completed 12 months at the helm, Wilshere has rocketed up the list of longest-serving managers in the Football League, now 44th out of the 92 currently in a job. On the longevity rarely being afforded these days, the Town boss felt that was slightly different at Kenilworth Road, as he said: “I think the pressure is growing and growing all the time. I was even watching the Premier League, and a team started really well and then they were losing at half-time and there were boos.

"The relationship between fans and clubs is growing all the time, it’s brought closer by social media now and I think sometimes they don’t even mean it by booing, it’s just out of frustration, and they want to win. Of course we want to win as well, At this club I think managers get a chance. I know the previous manager had a shorter spell than I did, but if you looked before that, managers got a chance, and I’m grateful for that.”

Questioned if despite the stresses and strains that came with his role, he still enjoyed what he had set out to do, Wilshere added: “Yes, I think you have to. I use the time when I go home to make phone calls, be it a friend or a colleague, or other coaches in the game. I had one yesterday where I was driving home and talking to an old mate of mine and he said, ‘you sound knackered, are you still enjoying it?’ I was like ‘yes, I love it,’ you have to.

"My journey in football has been up and down, but I look at my kids now, especially my youngest, he’s six years old and all he wants to do is play football. He reminds me all the time that you started this journey because you loved it. Football brings up so many things and emotions, but you started it because you love it and never forget that. My love for the game remains, it grows all the time, through tough moments, through good moments. I always think that, keep that love for the game as it’s why you started.”