JACK THE LAD LIKED A BEER AND A FAG... BUT INJURIES WERE A CURSE

FOR someone with what can tactfully be described as a chequered injury record, Jack Wilshere appears to be a little choosy about his next port of footballing call.

A free agent, having taken a big pay- off from West Ham United, Wilshere does not want a hard slog.

“I’d be silly to go and sign for a team in a similar position to West Ham,” he explained.

“When there is a relegation battle, teams want to nick a point and stay up, nick a goal and try and defend. That’s not the type of player I am.”

To be fair to Wilshere (right), he is not getting ideas above his station.

“I love Mourinho… but I don’t think I could do it.

“Let’s be honest as well, they wouldn’t have me!”

No, they wouldn’t – for a variety of reasons.

No matter how much of his wonderful talent remains,

Wilshere’s 28- year- old body now seems unsuitable to the demands of high-end Premier League football.

Or probably Premier League football, full stop.

That is why he says he is “open to MLS, Europe anything”, where perhaps a team at the top end will take him and where physical demands may not be as strenuous as in England.

It is worth reminding ourselves of Wilshere’s distant brilliance. In full flow, he was so good he was the one English midfielder celebrated by the likes of Xavi.

But his physical issues piled up. There are different theories as to why that has been.

His buccaneering style of play has been identified as a problem, but so has his lifestyle.

Wilshere recalled how he expected a dressing-down from Arsene Wenger over pictures of him smoking.

Instead, this is what happened, according to Wilshere.

“He (Wenger) was like, ‘Don’t worry, when I have a drink, I like a cigarette as well’.”

That must have been the first time Wilshere was

His dedication to make it to the very top would be unimaginable for a lot of us pictured smoking, others were to follow.

You cannot imagine Wenger’s flippancy lasted for long.

Wilshere turns 29 in January and has made 182 Premier League appearances.

There is no evidence his lifestyle has in any way contributed to this truncated number.

But some still perceiving that to be the case shines a light on the demands on young players.

Gone are the days when the odd indulgence such as a few beers were seen as a rite of passage. They are frowned on even when the player is on holiday – as Jack was when he pictured with a tipple and a fag in a Las Vegas pool alongside Joe Hart six years ago.

There will be no sympathy for multi-millionaire footballers but they are expected to lead a life that is an anathema to so many young men and women.

Wilshere’s career has not reached the heights so many expected, but that has been down to cruel physical fortune.

That there will be some out there who think his liking for a beer and a smoke contributed shows the standards expected from young players.

They can earn mind-boggling sums – and Wilshere is far from short of a few bob – but making it to the top requires a dedication that would be unimaginable for a lot of us.

And when we chastise players such as Wilshere for the odd sin, it is worth remembering that.