After experiencing unemployment and coming close to depression, Jack Wilshere lived through complicated months. His situation has changed as the England international has just signed in Denmark with the Aarhus GF club and the will to leave all the suffering behind him.
The news was surprising this Sunday evening, but it must have cheered up the most nostalgic. 30-year-old English midfielder Jack Wilshere has found a club. Signing for the Danish club Aarhus GF, seventh (out of twelve) in the local championship, the one who was trained at Arsenal and who played for Bolton, Bournemouth and West Ham will finally evolve outside of England. An experience that happens at the best of times for him. Indeed, at the beginning of the year, he spoke at length about his personal situation. Despite the fact that he maintains a certain lifestyle and that he has a nice CV, the England international could not find the slightest club.
Godmorgen #aarhus – den var sgu go’ nok 🙂 #ksdh #jackishere pic.twitter.com/KoRSMLExU7
— AGF (@AGFFodbold) February 21, 2022
Close to depression and thinking about the idea of putting away the crampons, he had delivered his feelings and opened up about his personal suffering. Free since July 1, 2021 and not having played since May 17 when he was still playing at Bournemouth, Jack Wilshere will be able to slowly return to the Danes of Aarhus. The one who has 34 caps with England did not fail to express his joy when he signed: “I am at a point in my career where I have to start over after a difficult period. I am very grateful for the opportunity AGF has given me and will do everything I can to help the team move forward. I’m really looking forward to contributing to the team.” Consenting to great financial efforts (he will receive a salary of 5,000 pounds sterling per week and is not the highest paid player in the club), he shows great motivation to revive.
His fragility handicapped him
Inheriting number 10, Jack Wilshere has the right to a new beginning and as he explained in the podcast Under The Surface, he went through all the states while he was without a club. The one who pays for a reputation as a fragile player. Missing 224 injury matches and 1,470 competitive days since the start of his career, Jack Wilshere hasn’t been lucky or always cautious. Behavior he regrets: “I remember having conversations with the physios during my first year at Arsenal. They said to me: “Look, you play a lot…”. And I said, “I wanted to play.” I was living a dream. I was 19 and playing for Arsenal. We were fighting for the Premier League, the Champions League… No one was going to tell me I needed a rest. It’s one of my biggest regrets. I would have liked to have listened to the physiotherapists a little more, to know more about my body.
This difficult situation of Jack Wilshere has influenced his daily life and especially with his family. It is also difficult for him to indulge in football with his son, but tries to do it all the same: “I have a 10 year old son who is crazy about football, he loves it, and he watches Sky Sports News. He understands football, but it’s very difficult to talk to him about it. It is difficult to explain. He always asks me if I already have a club or if someone likes me, and I say no. I think that’s all I can say to him. I have to be honest with him.” Also with his wife, Jack Wilshere wanted to be honest and not foolishly insist on continuing to play football: “I asked him to let me know when enough was enough, that I would stop training on my own and maybe try something else.” Still living with the weight of his injuries, Jack Wilshere has seen many clubs refuse him for his fragility.
If the native of Stevenage is aware of his past, he believes that this reputation is no longer relevant: “I think there’s a preconceived opinion about me, and that’s the answer I’ve received from some clubs: ‘he’s a great player, but he’s going to get injured’. I have not had an injury since before confinement and the last one was not serious. I continued to train every day. When I was at Bournemouth I was available to play every game. Give me a chance. Let me prove that I’m fit.” However, Danish club Aarhus decided to bet on the English midfielder by offering him a contract until the end of the season with an optional year. He is in good physical shape, but obviously lacks physical power. But it will come soon, and we can’t wait to see him in the white jersey, when he is well settled in, explained Stig Inge Bjørnebye, Aarhus’ football director. Jack Wilshere finally has a chance to show all his talent. It remains to be seen whether his body will leave him in peace.
