JACK’S KEEN FOR RECALL
JACK WILSHERE has revealed his six-year-old son demanded to know why he wasn’t going to the World Cup.
The midfielder, 26, begins a new life at West Ham after a decade in the Arsenal first team.
His Gunners exit, which saw him turn down a deal to stay, followed a snub from England boss Gareth Southgate.
Wilshere is determined to get back in the Three Lions fold as soon as possible – especially as son Archie had been looking forward to seeing him in action in Russia.
School
watched one at home. It was a weird feeling. The penalty shoot-out was awful. I now understand what fans go through. I was like any other fan.
“That first week after I got left out I was upset and thinking, ‘I am not going to watch it’.
“But as soon as the tournament started I was like a fan. I am proud to be English and I wanted them to do well.”
Wilshere penned a three-year deal with the Hammers after new Gunners boss Unai Emery told him he would only be a squad player.
Felipe Anderson, Andriy Yarmolenko, Lukasz Fabianski, Fabian Balbuena, Issa Diop and Ryan Fredericks have also signed on at the London Stadium.
And the fixture list has thrown up a quick return to the Emirates Stadium on August 25.
Wilshere made it clear that if he scored against his former employers he would not celebrate.
He said: “I won’t out of respect for the fans because of the support they have shown me. To celebrate in front of them just wouldn’t be right.”