Former Arsenal star insists footballers deserve to ‘go out’ and enjoy their ‘downtime’ – and says he has no regrets doing so during his career

Jack Wilshere has insisted that footballers deserve to ‘go out’ as he reflected on his own career in a recent interview.

The former Arsenal star – who has worked as a first-team coach for Championship club Norwich since October 2024 – was no stranger to controversy in his career.

The ex-midfielder was pictured smoking a cigarette outside a nightclub in 2013 and was pictured out clubbing numerous times before hanging up his boots.

Now, Wilshere has spoken out about the perception that footballers should not party and insisted that it’s ‘important’ for the wellbeing of players. 

In an interview with The Sun, Wilshere said: ‘I always thought I was sensible enough to know the right times to go out and when not to — and it’s important that the players have some downtime. 

‘Of course, the world has changed a little bit and there’s so many things young people, young players can do, but downtime is important, as are the people around you.

‘I don’t ever really look back and think, ‘I should not have done that’.

Wilshere was caught smoking again in 2014 in Las Vegas, after England had gone out of the World Cup at the group stage in Brazil. 

Meanwhile, the former Arsenal star lifted the lid on his time as their Under-18s coach, opening up on how two of the Gunners’ brightest young stars fared in the youth academy.

Ethan Nwaneri, 17, and Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, have both enjoyed breakout seasons under Mikel Arteta this campaign, having not long ago been coached by former Arsenal midfielder Wilshere at U18 level.

Wilshere started his youth role at Arsenal just four days after calling time on his playing career in 2022.

Now, the former England international, 33, is working towards his Uefa Pro Licence, with his eyes firmly on taking up management one day.

Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly have both chalked up 29 appearances across all competitions for Arteta’s senior side this campaign, with the 17-year-old winger playing more in the Premier League and the defender featuring more frequently in the Champions League so far.

Wilshere himself was an Arsenal youngster who broke on to the scene during his teenage years, making his competitive Premier League debut against Blackburn as a 16-year-old in 2008.

Unfortunately, Wilshere’s career was plagued with a multitude of injury setbacks, which led to his eventual retirement as a player at Danish club AGF in 2022, following spells at West Ham and Bournemouth.

Arsenal’s next test comes in the Premier League against Fulham at the Emirates on April 1, before an away clash at Everton’s Goodison Park four days later.

Meanwhile, Norwich take on playoff hopefuls West Brom in the Championship on March 29 following the international break.