The England international, who is currently on the books at West Ham, expects to play on for many more years but is already planning for retirement
West Ham midfielder Jack Wilshere is, at just 27 years of age, already plotting a move into management, with the former Arsenal star working on his coaching badges and looking to follow in the footsteps of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard.
The England international has endured an injury-ravaged career, with the general consensus being that fitness problems have prevented him from fulfilling the potential he displayed as a youngster.
Wilshere has, however, lost none of his passion for the game and remains determined to get the most out of his career.
He believes he can still spend many years at the top out on the field, but also harbours ambitions of one day stepping into the dugout.
The Jack Wilshere NCF Elites academy has been set up, with the plan being to build on those foundations and emulate the achievements of ex-England team-mates Lampard and Gerrard, who have earned plenty of plaudits in prominent roles at Chelsea and Rangers respectively.
“When I talk about what I want to do after my playing career, what interests me is the development of kids. I like coaching and giving advice to kids,” Wilshere told The Mirror.
“It is rewarding. I know Steven Gerrard started working with Liverpool’s youth team, used that as a stepping stone. Frank Lampard is at the top already. I see myself going into coaching kids, going into an academy and see if I enjoy it.
“When you have a playing career for 15 years, there’s a lot of pressure, travelling away and it would be nice to spend a bit more time at home with my family but I definitely want to do some kind of coaching.
“I look at Lampard and Gerrard and I think: ‘wow – fair play to you.’
“They’ve gone into a pressure situation where they are coaching, they are working but they also have to win games and that’s even more pressure.
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“There’s maybe a little less pressure working with kids where winning is not everything, your goal is to develop players, get them ready for the next step. That’s what interests me first, but then things change.
“Lampard did great at Derby but probably didn’t expect to be at Chelsea this soon and he’s doing unbelievably well. Things change and things come up, you never know.
“I’ve got a few years left playing, but it will be interesting to speak to Steve or Frank and see how young or how early they were thinking about being a coach, they probably were about my age because it takes a while to get your qualifications.
“I want to keep it ticking over with the Elites, getting more experience with your coaching because you’re then ready when you finish.”
Wilshere has been restricted to just eight appearances for West Ham this season, with Manuel Pellegrini’s side struggling for consistency as they sit 17th in the Premier League table.