Swanson and Wilshere Interview
Arsenal is certainly the club that have beaten all expectations since Tony Adams took over from long serving manager, Arsene Wenger. A lot of people, including many Arsenal fans, did not predict that by the end of January that their club would be sat at the top of the Premier League table with a comfortable fifteen point gap between second placed Chelsea. One of the players that has been acknowledged by Tony Adams for his contribution to Arsenal’s success so far this season is Jack Wilshere. Adams believes that Wilshere is starting to change his game for the better and has singled him out as a potential future captain. Bryan Swanson, chief news reporter for Sky Sports News HQ, sat down with Jack to discuss comments from his manager, how he feels Arsenal have done so far and the transfer rumours that surround him.
Bryan Swanson:Jack, how would you sum up your performances so far this season?
Jack Wilshere:I feel that this season has been my best season so far at Arsenal and it is one that I have thoroughly enjoyed so far. As a player I am always looking to improve and develop my game so I can become the best I can be.
Bryan Swanson:Is there a particular game so far this season that stands out for you?
Jack Wilshere:For me personally it has got to be the 2-1 win against Spurs at the beginning of this month. We were coming off the back of two great performances against Liverpool and City and we did go out their wanting to make it up to the fans for the poor showing on the first day of the season. We owed it to them and I feel that we delivered. I felt on a personal level that I had a good game; I contributed to Ox’s goal that helped us get the vital three points.
Bryan Swanson:Is there a game that sticks in your mind for all the wrong reasons?
Jack Wilshere:It has to be either the first game of the season against Spurs or the 2-1 win against Chelsea. The poor showing against Spurs has got to be the one; you want to set out your intentions from the go but we didn’t do that and instead deserved to be beaten and thankfully we haven’t had to experience that much since.
Bryan Swanson:So far this season Arsenal have done well in every competition. You are now out of the FA Cup but you are still competing in the Premier League, Champions League and Capital One Cup. What is the club’s priority this season? A league title or is it to finally win that Champions League trophy?
Jack Wilshere:For a club like Arsenal and one of its stature, we should be competing on all fronts season after season. We were disappointed to lose in the last round to Everton but it has allowed us to focus elsewhere. We are doing really well in the league at the minute and have built up a nice gap but we cannot afford to take our foot off the pedal or else we will be punished by the chasing pack. Every Arsenal fans wants to see us do well in the Champions League and go one step further than we did back in 2006. We will be putting everything into each competition and hopefully we will experience success across the board.
Bryan Swanson:The manager has come out and said you could potentially be a future Arsenal captain. What do you think when you hear comments like that been said? Is it an ambition of yours.
Jack Wilshere:It is definitely an ambition of mine to become the captain of the club but I can’t see it happening anytime soon. I think there are a lot of players in line ahead of me but it is a responsibility I would like to be given in the future.
Bryan Swanson:Who would you say is ahead of you?
Jack Wilshere:To be honest, due to the sheer determination all the lads are showing at the minute to do well for the club, I think anyone could step in and do the job and do it well. At the minute we are very fortunate to have Thomas (Vermaelen) leading us out as captain and to have Mikel (Arteta) there as vice captain.
Bryan Swanson:When a team is successful, they are surrounded by transfer speculation. Per Mertesacker has been linked with various clubs, Aaron Ramsey to Chelsea and you have been linked with a move to Manchester City. What are your thoughts on this?
Jack Wilshere:I’m sure I can speak on behalf of Aaron and Per and make it clear that our sole focus is on continuing to work hard with the aim of bringing silverware to the Emirates Stadium. We don’t tend to take notice of transfer speculation and we won’t begin to take any notice any time soon.
Bryan Swanson:Do you ever see yourself moving on to a different venture? Is City a possibility in the future?
Jack Wilshere:Look I’ve got a contract at Arsenal for another four years. I am an Arsenal player as we speak and I intend on seeing out my contract. My future will be determined after those four years if not before. At the moment I just want to focus on developing my game so I can carry on playing at the highest level and go on to be the best I can be.