WILSHERE SAYS SORRY (AGAIN)
JACk WILSHERE yesterday offered an apology for his rowdy bus-top antics during Arsenal’s FA Cup celebrations as he waits to discover if he will be charged by the FA.
Having been out on the town all night after Arsenal’s 4-0 Wembley win over Aston Villa, Wilshere grabbed the microphone on Sunday to lead Gunners supporters in a foul-mouthed chant mocking north London rivals Tottenham.
The Arsenal midfielder did a similar thing last year after the FA Cup final victory over Hull City — which may be one reason why the FA have not been so quick to dismiss it on this occasion — and he yesterday issued an apology to his 1.8million Twitter followers.
Wilshere said: ‘Sharing back2back Cup wins with so many amazing Gooners is a dream come true. Apologies if I upset or offended any of u with my celebrations.’
Arsenal will not discipline the 23-year- old England star but the club apologised on their in-house media channel and will remind Wilshere of his responsibilities.
His latest transgression will also fuel concerns that one of England’s most gifted and injury-prone footballers has a lifestyle at odds with his profession.
Wilshere ( right) has been photographed smoking a cigarette and holding a shisha pipe during another season which has been disrupted by surgery, this time to repair a serious ankle injury.
Niall Quinn, the former Arsenal striker, was unimpressed to find Wilshere making the headlines again for his conduct off the field. ‘It has cropped up again,’ Quinn told Sky Sports. ‘You want passion from your players but he has overstepped the mark once more.
‘Most Arsenal fans and fans of any club love to interact with players and feel their passion but he has pushed the boat out too far once again. He has been reminded of his responsibilities. Wilshere has much talent and he has been talked about for a lot of other reasons beside his football talent.
‘Once again we are doing it here when it should be a great day or two. He has to apologise and retain that passion for his club, but not to cross the line and mock Spurs the way he did. He has to act a little bit better from now on.’
Wilshere has been at Arsenal since he was nine and has a strong connection with supporters in an era when elite footballers seem increasingly remote.
Even after Saturday’s final, Wilshere left the dressing-room celebrations to meet a sick fan who had waited near the Wembley tunnel hoping for autographs. Still in his kit, Wilshere spent time with the boy and his family before taking off his shirt and handing it over as a souvenir.
He will report for England duty tomorrow at St George’s Park to prepare for matches against the Republic of
Ireland and Slovenia.