'Down and out' Wells ready for his 'best season' following Luton chief's backing
Town forward hails the support received from boss Wilshere
Striker Nahki Wells has praised manager Jack Wilshere for his unwavering support after feeling ‘down and out’ as a player last term, backing himself to enjoy his best season for some time this year.
The 36-year-old had arrived at the Hatters on a free transfer from Bristol City 12 months ago, leaving the Robins having scored almost 50 times during his lengthy stint at Ashton Gate. Prolific at League One level during his last spell in the third tier, with 14 goals in 19 outings for Bradford City over a decade ago, Wells, like the rest of his team-mates, struggled badly at the beginning, as he managed to score just once in his first 20 league matches.
However, once Wilshere took over in October and the Hatters were able to fully implement the ex-England and Arsenal midfielder’s ideas, the Bermuda international finally started to show Town fans what he was capable of, none more so than at Wembley, netting twice in a man of the match performance as Luton won the Vertu Trophy by beating Stockport County 3-1.
He finished with 10 goals in all competitions, although admitted publicly at the end of the campaign that he was disappointed with a tally of just five from his 39 league fixtures, which couldn’t propel his side into a play-off place. Having been a regular on the scoresheet in pre-season, netting against Hitchin Town, Barnet, Walsall and Go Ahead Eagles B, Wells carried that confidence and form into the opening fixture at Gillingham on Saturday, up and running with an expert finish from Jayden Luker’s pass.
It led Wilshere to state afterwards he felt the forward had been able to improve during his time in charge, saying: “We’re working with Nahki and I Iove Nahki because Nahki’s older than me which I keep reminding him. But he’s hungry, he’s hungry to improve and he’s improved, in my opinion, so much since I’ve been here. His understanding, he helps the team and naturally he’ll tell you that he wanted to score more goals last season, because he gets in so many good areas with his movement, with his timing. We’re working all the time with him on his finishing and I’m sure he’ll score more goals this season.”
Wells himself agreed with what his manager said, as asked if he had got better under Wilshere, continued: “I believe I have 100 percent. I think I kind of lost myself a little bit and who I was as a player at points last season. It’s a big credit to him (Wilshere), he’s put an arm around me, believed in me, he’s backed me when I felt I was down and out and probably supporters and everyone around did. I was able to turn that around and he’s given me that belief back. They’ve put a lot of effort into what they expect from me and what I can do and to be honest, it’s simplifying it.
"It’s trying to get in the right positions to score and letting all the other quality players do what they can. At times I felt like I was trying to be a creator, I was trying to do too much, I was trying to run too far back and I probably wasn’t being utilised as well as I can in the box. That emphasis has been key in the last six months and that’s the reason I have been able to score a lot more goals in that period. I really do think this will be the best season I’ve had in a long, long time. I’m very much confident in that.”
Going into the campaign having scored several goals during Town’s friendlies was also a big boost to Wells’ spirits before the more serious test came in a Carabao Cup first round clash at the Priestfield Stadium. He added: “Of course. Last season I didn’t have the best of pre-seasons. I came in a little bit late to it, and then I got off to a poor start, there was so much going on, but this year that isn’t the case.
“I’ve had a good pre-season, I’ve been scoring goals through all of pre-season and then I get off the mark. It’s all the same faces, all the same understandings, all the same principles and what the manager wants. It’s definitely going to be a lot easier for the players out there. I’m disappointed I didn’t have couple more, but I’ll look back and analyse it and be ready for what’s next.”
If Wells and his team-mates can begin the season in the same kind of form they finished the previous campaign, then there is every chance they can enjoy a successful season and achieve their goal, which is quite clearly to be playing Championship football this time next year. Having kept the majority of the squad together, while still boosting it with quality, George Johnston, Harrison Ashby, Kasey Palmer and Callum Marshall all coming in, will give them every chance of doing so in the forward’s eyes.
He added: “We kept the core of what was successful and important for us last season. We knew we didn’t need 10 new signings and a big overhaul because we showed last season what we were capable of at the end of the season. It’s always about trying to improve, about having a good squad and good depth, and the new signings have been incredible. There’s two weeks left (of the transfer window), I’m pretty sure we’ll see another one or two faces come in to help and improve the squad, but I’m really happy with the squad.
"I’m really happy we kept the players that we needed to keep, the gaffer made a big emphasis on that and the board backed him, which I’m excited with as those are important players. Your Kasey Palmer’s, your Jordan Clark’s, you Walshy’s (Liam Walsh), that is the core of our team. To have us all fit and healthy, ready, I’m very much confident with this squad that we can do it, as it’s a tight-knit squad who now have a really good camaraderie and a really good understanding of what the principles are the manager wants for us.”