Jack Wilshere in graduating from Arsenal reserves to the senior team in 2008 brought hope and excitementto the Emirates faithful.
The Gunners appeared to have landed their own version of Paul Gascoigne.
TheStevenage-born, in his first active season, made 49 appearances in all competitions. Known for his fearless approach to tackling and boldness in carrying the ball towards the defences of opponents, Wilshere offered the rest of England a glimpse of how bright their future might be with him around anchoring the whole thing.
Those performances drummed his name to every atmosphere housing football followers and maybe that was when everything went wrong. The English media, known for their characteristic over-drumming of teen star names across every tabloidin English soccer, made sure of singing Wilshere’s to high heavens sand in the process hyping him to ruins.
Subsequent seasons saw him struggle to handle the responsibility of being the lynchpin of the Gunner’smidfield, a role Wenger will later assign to Aaron Ramsey. The Welsh man took the opportunity with b0th hands and since then, barely looked back. Sooner than later saw him emerge asthe apple of the Emirates crowdwhile Wilsheregot relegated to the bench.
Tired of staying on the bench led to his loan move to Bournemouth and although the England international performed reasonably the perpetual problem of not ever staying fit long enough to make a name for himself soon came home to roost as he picked up a knock in The Cherries’ last match with Totttenham.
For a player who struggled to leave up to his obvious potential due to challenges from those that lie within his control and those that don’t, this latest season ending-injury of his makes it look like the football gods have never sided with him and that is particularly painful.