Jack Wilshere delivers impressive verdict on Scotland’s teenage prodigy Billy Gilmour

But West Ham midfielder says talent alone won’t be enough for former Rangers kid

Billy Gilmour has already broken into the first team at Chelsea. Picture: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty

Whenever he looks at Billy Gilmour, it is only natural that Jack Wilshere sees a little bit of himself. A teenage midfield prodigy, earning praise and capturing headlines during his breakthrough appearances for one of London’s elite Premier League clubs – the comparisons are easy to make.

Wilshere was still a few months shy of his 17th birthday when Arsene Wenger made him Arsenal’s youngest-ever league debutant in September 2008, even younger than Gilmour who was handed his first Chelsea appearance by Frank Lampard just a couple of months after his 18th birthday this season.

While Covid-19 has placed Gilmour’s burgeoning career on hold, Wilshere already has no doubts the young Scot 
possesses all of the technical skills necessary to reach the top at both club and international level. But Wilshere also offers a gentle and well-intentioned warning to Gilmour that talent alone is not 
sufficient if he wants to sustain a long and successful career in the highest profile league of them all.

“He seems to have that natural ability,” observes Wilshere. “A lot of people said I had that natural ability but you soon realise that is not enough to survive at the top every week in the Premier League.

“You need something else about you. You need to work hard, have that bit between your teeth every week and want to go out there and perform. He [Gilmour] is at the best place to do it.”

Wilshere, speaking to his West Ham United team-mate, Robert Snodgrass, and Kris Boyd in the latest episode of their Lockdown Tactics podcast, has perhaps never truly fulfilled his own rich potential.

A series of injuries have hampered him through the years but, at his best, there are few more gifted playmakers than the 28-year-old who has made 34 England appearances.

Wilshere, right, who was just 18 when he made his senior international debut, feels Gilmour can only thrive under the tutelage of 
his former England team-mate, Lampard. “First of all, Billy has a good manager in Frank, who trusts him and has given him his opportunity,” added Wilshere.

“I’ve said before that once you 
get an opportunity you need to take it and Billy is doing that. He’s had a few games and a few man-of-the-match performances.

“He is the type of player that you just like to watch. There’s not many of them. Another one I like to watch is Phil Foden [at Manchester City]. For me, I could go on YouTube, type in the name and watch Phil play.

“Any advice [I have] for 
Billy would be to just keep doing what he is doing. Lampard is clearly giving him the right advice and he has a good team around him. Just keep practising, working hard.

“Billy plays with his head because he is not the biggest, strongest or quickest. He makes the game look so simple and that is what is so impressive about him – a boy of that age, to have that maturity on the ball and be able to make the game look easy.

“To be able to beat players when you are not that strong and that quick is also something I like to do. When you are smaller and haven’t got that strength, you need to get closer to players, to feel them.

“It’s beautiful to watch and I love watching him. It looks as though he has a bright future in the game.”

Wilshere is lending his support to the work of Snodgrass and Boyd in highlighting mental health and wellbeing issues during the current lockdown. Although he has not personally suffered from depression during his career, Wilshere revealed he now has a more proactive approach to dealing with any problems in his life thanks to the advice of his wife, Andriani.

“I’m not really one who would talk about it with people,” he said. “But ever since last year, I’ve changed a little bit because I had a conversation with my missus and she said to tell her because talking to your missus, or someone you love, if you don’t have a missus or a fella, just talk to someone.

“Pick up the phone to your mum or to your dad, or a friend, and just see how they are and tell them how you are. Just feel the love.

“One thing I’ve found that helps, for me, I’ve realised during this lockdown, is that I’ve had a few moments that I’ve thought ‘this is tough’, but before I go to bed I write down things I need to do the next day to give me a routine, a goal for the day.

“Small things, like clean out a cupboard or go for a run. Small things can really help.”

n The Lockdown Tactics is a brand new podcast, hosted by former Scotland stars Robert Snodgrass and Kris Boyd.

Every week TLT will talk to big names with its core focus being on Mental Health and Wellbeing. It’s chosen charity partner is The Kris Boyd Charity.

To watch the full interview with Jack Wilshere go to YouTube and the various Lockdown Tactics social media platforms. It will be available from 12.00 today.

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