Jack Wilshere is facing the wrath of Arsène Wenger after a photograph circulated on Thursday shows the Arsenal midfielder smoking outside a London nightclub.
The 21-year-old was pictured in a newspaper puffing on a cigarette and speaking with a blonde female in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Arsenal players were given two days off following their 2-0 Champions League win over Napoli on Tuesday, and Wilshere was not breaking any curfew rules but smoking has not gone down well with Wenger.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of his side's clash with West Bromwich Albion, the Arsenal boss said: "Well, I disagree completely with that behaviour.
"The fact is that you can damage your health at home - you can smoke or drink at home - and nobody sees it, but when you're out socially, you damage your reputation as well."
Asked what he would be saying to Wilshere about the incident, Wenger added: "I need to have a chat with him about that. I will leave that between him and me."
There have been many examples of top sportsmen who smoked, with football legends Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini are renowned smokers.
"Yes, of course things are different in England especially," said Wenger.
"You don't need to convince me because I must tell you, I travelled as a football player on coaches after games in France where you didn't see each other, there was so much smoke on the coach!
"Everybody smoked. But times have changed and the healthy worry, the example, the role models from the football players request has changed as well.
"And I must say as well, English society is very sensitive to smoking, much more than France, more than and southern countries. So it is a bit more shocking here than it is somewhere else."
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| Arsenal player Jack Wilshere is pictured with a cigarette outside a London nightclub Photo: @0Huggy |
The 21-year-old was pictured in a newspaper puffing on a cigarette and speaking with a blonde female in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Arsenal players were given two days off following their 2-0 Champions League win over Napoli on Tuesday, and Wilshere was not breaking any curfew rules but smoking has not gone down well with Wenger.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of his side's clash with West Bromwich Albion, the Arsenal boss said: "Well, I disagree completely with that behaviour.
"The fact is that you can damage your health at home - you can smoke or drink at home - and nobody sees it, but when you're out socially, you damage your reputation as well."
Asked what he would be saying to Wilshere about the incident, Wenger added: "I need to have a chat with him about that. I will leave that between him and me."
There have been many examples of top sportsmen who smoked, with football legends Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini are renowned smokers.
"Yes, of course things are different in England especially," said Wenger.
"You don't need to convince me because I must tell you, I travelled as a football player on coaches after games in France where you didn't see each other, there was so much smoke on the coach!
"Everybody smoked. But times have changed and the healthy worry, the example, the role models from the football players request has changed as well.
"And I must say as well, English society is very sensitive to smoking, much more than France, more than and southern countries. So it is a bit more shocking here than it is somewhere else."
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