Jack Wilshere: "People are going through different problems, whether it be mentally, financially or physically. We can all take something from an underdog story and put that into practice in life"
Wednesday 13 May 2020 08:56, UK
As a player who has spent much of his career fighting back from injury, West Ham midfielder Jack Wilshere knows a thing or two about battles with adversity.
So it took little persuasion for him to lend his name and support to The Nightingale's Song, a children's e-book about a team of underdogs who, with the guidance of Wilshere and stellar cast of British sportsmen and women, become heroes in a time of difficulty.
With proceeds going to NHS Charities Together and the fight against coronavirus, Wilshere was quick to sign up.
Wilshere said: "Everyone loves an underdog story. In life, in football, in any other sport, if you're a neutral watching a game you always tend to want the underdog to do well and win with that fighting spirit. And that can help us at the minute. It's a difficult time.
"People are going through different problems, whether it be mentally, financially or physically, we can all take something from an underdog story and put that into practice in life."
The book was written by Phil Clegg, a head of sixth form at Bradfield College in Berkshire, who asked his friend, leading orthopaedic surgeon James Calder, if he could use his sporting contacts to get some big names on board.
Having operated on a number of top stars from various sports, Calder was able to recruit a cast list including not just Wilshere, but Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, as well as England cricketer's Joe Root and Danni Wyatt, and rugby union's George Kruis.
Wilshere's football friends came in handy too.
"James actually asked me who I thought I could get to be involved... I spoke with Danny Welbeck and he said, 'yeah let's do it', he added.
"I would have done it for James anyway, but also I've been seeing all these people doing stuff for the NHS and I wanted to be part of that, to try to do my part. It was a good opportunity."
Jack's involvement in the children's book has caused much excitement in the Wilshere household where, with four children, he's been taking a hands-on role in home-schooling during lockdown but he's had to scale back teaching duties in preparation for a potential Premier League return.
"I was using lockdown as a chance to work on my fitness but after a while it does get a little bit boring with all the long distance running," he said.
"You just want to get a ball out and that's difficult to do on your own so to go back in and see everyone, while maintaining the two-metre rule, and get back on the ball.
"To see the manager, it lifts you, lifts your morale and makes you hungrier to want to come back".
That hunger is fuelled by the fact that Wilshere hasn't played competitively since October due to a pelvis injury.
"He'd only just returned to training when the coronavirus pandemic sent the country into lockdown. He's itching to return but says player health must come first.
"I'm desperate to get back playing football but at the same time I've got a family at home, I've got kids," he admitted.
"I'm sure everyone wants the same, we won't be doing that until it's safe to do so. The clubs will back us in that. We just have to listen to the Government and do what people are telling us.
"No player will go back if it's not safe to do so. I can't see how you can play football and socially distance at the same time but these are the questions that people need to ask and need to be answered. We have to follow the guidelines, we're doing what we're told."
