Wenger: I'll speak to Jack about smoking

Arsène Wenger will speak to Jack Wilshere
after the England international was pictured
smoking.
The Arsenal manager will keep his discussions with
Wilshere private but he explained why he was
against smoking when the issue was raised at his
pre-match press conference.
"I don't know really what happened [with Jack], I will
need to have a chat with him about that," said
Wenger. "I disagree completely with that behaviour.
"There are two things: first of all when you are a
football player you are an example, and as well you
don't do what damages your health.
First of all when you are a football player
you are an example, and as well you don't
do what damages your health
"The fact [is] you can damage your health at home,
you can smoke at home and you can drink at home,
and nobody sees it, but when you go out socially you
as well damage your reputation as an example."
Wenger was reminded that Dutch legend Johan
Cruyff used to smoke 20 cigarettes a day, and the
Arsenal manager is glad that football and society
have moved on.
"Things are different in England especially," he said.
"You don't need to convince me [of that] 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 health worry, the example, the role model
[expected] from the football players has changed as
well.
"And I must say as well, English society is very
sensitive to smoking, much more than France, more
than southern countries. So it is a bit more shocking
here than it is somewhere else."
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile.