Family of Arsenal wonderkid left 'extremely disappointed' by Jack Wilshere's shocking departure

Jack Wilshere's decision to join Norwich has deeply disappointed the family of Arsenal's rising star, Max Dowman.

Following his decision to retire as a consequence of the injuries which brought a premature end to his playing days, Wilshere had embarked on a career in coaching with his boyhood club.

Wilshere has already enjoyed success with the Gunner’s Under-18 side and has taken enormous personal satisfaction from the sight of teenagers Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri establishing themselves as fully-fledged members of Mikel Arteta’s first team squad this season.

Despite the affinity he has for a club that has supported him during his tentative first steps into his new profession, Wilshere has agreed a move to Championship club Norwich where he will be a part of Johannes Hoff Thorup’s first team staff.

Academy manager Per Mertesacker is understood to have respected his former teammate’s desire to advance his career but the Athletic report that some feel a more concerted effort could have been made to convince Wilshere to stay.

It is also understood that Wilshere expressed an interest in coaching Arsenal’s Under-19s in the UEFA Youth League, but that responsibility was instead handed to Max Porter who had even less coaching experience than the man who was passed over.

Reacting to Wilshere’s departure, which was confirmed on Wednesday meanwhile, Mertesacker said: ‘Jack’s development as a coach over the past two seasons has been really impressive. Jack has represented Arsenal in the best possible way, both as a player and in his role as an academy coach.

‘Jack has not only been a role model for our younger generation on the pitch – showing the young players the skills required at the highest level, but has also demonstrated every day how to be the best possible person.

‘Of course, we are all sad to see Jack leave, but we are so proud that we have played a positive part in his development into the next stage of his career as a young coach. We wish Jack and his family well at Norwich City, and his many friends here will be keeping in close contact with him as his journey in coaching continues.’

: “I’ve loved every minute of my time as Under-18s head coach and would like to thank Edu, Per, Mikel, my colleagues in the academy and everyone at the club for their fantastic support during my time in the role. 

“As everyone knows, Arsenal is and always will be part of who I am, and the club means so much to me. However, this opportunity has come at the right time to progress my coaching career within a first-team environment.

“I have an incredibly special bond with the players and staff at Arsenal, and am so proud of the work we have done as a collective over the last two-and-a-half years. It’s been a privilege to have been involved in the development and progression of such a special group, and I’ll be continuing to watch and support from afar. The future is exciting both for the academy players and the club, and I know the group I’ve been working with will continue to progress and have the potential to achieve great things.

“I’d like to thank everyone at Arsenal Football Club for their support and understanding in my decision and wish everybody at the club the very best for the future. This club will always be close to my heart and for me, this is a ‘see you again’ rather than ‘goodbye’.”

Of all the young players who will be sad to see Wilshere head for pastures new, 14-year-old sensation Dowman is likely to be top of the list.

In September, Dowman became the youngest player, aged 14 years, eight months and 19 days, to score in a UEFA Youth League game in the competition’s 11-year history. Wilshere also gave Dowman his Under-18 Premier League debut in September 2023, making him the youngest player in the history of the competition, at 13.

The Athletic adds that the gifted midfielder has formed a close bond with a man who knows only too well how to cope with the burden of expectancy having been marked out for stardom himself from such a young age.

Wilshere’s guiding hand has already been particularly important in overseeing Nwaneri’s smooth transition to the first team and Dowman’s family had hoped their son would enjoy a similar trajectory.

‘I’ve been through that and people don’t see it,’ said Wilshere, speaking earlier this year about the pressure Nwaneri was likely to encounter.

‘It’s like an iceberg, where underneath you don’t see (how much is going on). At the moment, he’s in that phase where he’s struggling.

‘But he’s been exceptional and as coaches we don’t get involved in and we don’t talk about that (his future). That’s nothing. Our job is to develop Ethan to help him when he goes with the first team… As coaches, we focus on trying to give him the best platform, trying to give him a clear head.’