Wilshere's lack of a blame game sees Naismith tip Luton boss to reach the very top

Hatters captain Kal Naismith has tipped manager Jack Wilshere to make his way to the very top having watched him in close quarters at Kenilworth Road this season.

The former England and Arsenal star was appointed back in October, named as Matt Bloomfield’s successor with Town struggling to reach the heights expected of them in League One, earning his maiden shot at a number one role having worked with the Gunners U18s and been in caretaker charge of Norwich City for two matches as well.

Although having to go through some sticky spells during his time in charge, Luton enduring a six game winless run in the league a couple of months ago that appeared to have severely hampered their play-off hopes, Wilshere is now starting to see the ideas he has been implementing transferred to the pitch. It has led to the Hatters having renewed hope of attaining a top six berth, unbeaten in their last 10 fixtures, picking up seven wins, also lifting the Vertu Trophy when beating Stockport County at Wembley as well.

It’s not just the results or playing style that has impressed Naismith, who has come in for his fair share of criticism this term, until turning things around since the 2-1 victory at Wycombe Wanderers last month and scoring a stunning winner against Northampton Town recently, but the way the manager has always put his own neck on the chopping block rather than the captain or any of his team-mates.

Speaking exclusively to the Luton News, he said: “He's been incredible with us. Everybody knows about how he's backed me and stood by me and he's going to go to the very top of management for me. I can see it. He’s taken a lot on as well when to be honest it’s been us as players who have caused it at times. He's given us absolutely everything and sometimes we've just gone out there and underperformed.

"There’s been times where we’ve let him down and I’ve thought he’s going to maybe protect himself and come out and say something about the players that we’re not quite getting it or we need to do better, and he’s never ever done that. I watch all his interviews in the car on the way home and I just think, ‘wow what a man.’ Every single time he's backed us. He’s taken everything on the chin himself and he's taken a lot this season, so to have that moment for him (winning the Vertu Trophy) I'm delighted for him.”

Naismith even went on to admit he was hoping the manager would actually have shifted some of the blame on to his own shoulders during the tough times, continuing: “It’s the thing that has impressed me the most, as I’ve been close to a lot of managers and the stress levels that you go through and it's that fight or flight moment. I respect all managers and what they go through, the work they put in, it’s their life.

"You can see in tough moments, you can see them sort of, not blaming because sometimes they've got every right to call out other people as they’re doing everything right in their eyes. Sometimes they do that, but for the gaffer to be so young, but to always take responsibility time after time after time, as I’ve never heard him come for any single player. There’s been times where I’ve thought, ‘gaffer you’ve got to have a go at me in the press here, I’m a senior player I can take it.’

"I’ve not said this to him personally, but I’ve watched interviews afterwards saying, ‘I just hope he puts a little bit of the blame on me as he doesn't deserve to be taking all this.’ Never once has he, and to honest I don't think he ever will. That's just credit to him as a manager and as a leader. To me the greatest leaders take responsibility and take everything on their shoulders, so he’s been super impressive.”

The work ethic that Wilshere has deployed at the Brache is also something that has caught Naismith’s eye, who feels that winning his first piece of silverware earlier this month, will be a big thing for him at this stage of his career, saying: “I think it's huge for the gaffer. He's publicly said it means more as a manager because of how much he puts into it.

"We see the work he puts in and it’s mental. Me and Nahki Wells went to David Lloyds to do a bit of recovery, just have a sauna and a swim, but we needed our flip flops so we popped by the training ground at it must have been six o'clock at night to get them and the gaffer’s car is there. We both just laughed at each other as the gaffer’s at the training ground again. It’s like he never leaves. So we see the work that he puts in and just the amount of detail, the work, the effort he puts in is frightening.”

Club legend Mick Harford, a man who knows all about what it’s like to take his place in the dug-out having managed Town on more than one occasion during his lengthy association with the Hatters, leading them to the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in 2009 and also winning promotion to the Championship in 2019, has also been extremely impressed by the way in which Wilshere has started to make Luton gel, saying: “I think Jack’s done a brilliant job, he’s turned it around.

"It was a tough job to come into, but I think he’s got his squad and he’s going to enhance his squad in the future and hopefully things will go from strength to strength. First thing I’ve got to say is he’s really, really mature. As a young manager, he’s got a great relationship with his staff, with the players and the board. He communicates very well with people, his coaching methods are very good and he’s reaping his just rewards with the results. We’re really, really happy, in my opinion, I know it’s easy to say, but I think he’s got a great future in football."

Although still a big figure at the training ground and away matches in his ambassador role, on whether he has offered any advice to Wilshere during his time in charge, Harford said: “No, not any more, he’s his own manager, his own man. He’s got experience in his staff with Chris Powell and the other members. We chat on a daily basis, we chat about football, chat about general things, he’s just a good, genuine guy and I hope he does really well here. It’s hard work getting over the line as a football manager, but I think Jack has come in and he’s moulded the club into a good position.”

Meanwhile, discussing his approach to management and just how he has masterminded such a turnaround in results, Wilshere himself added: “My mentality towards it is love the players, and I’ve always said that to them. I’ve never stood in front of you guys and questioned their mentality or questioned their character as I’d never do that, because I felt from day one they were all in with me and they gave everything.

"Yes, we got some things wrong and when we have got those things wrong, then it’s really important that I make it clear to them that it’s not acceptable, but also then really important I say to them how we fix it and how we move forward, because I need the players to improve and to help us win the games. Ultimately they’re the ones who have to do that and they’ve done that.”