Young England footballer Jack Wilshere was given a public dressing down by his manager after being photographed smoking outside a London nightclub.
According to mail online the 21-year-old Arsenal midfielder was seen with a cigarette in his mouth the night after his team beat Napoli 2-0 in the Champions League.
The player’s agent said that the footballer does not smoke and was holding it ‘momentarily as part of a prank’.
But the footballer was criticised by his manager Arsene Wenger ahead of the Gunners’ game against West Brom tomorrow.
‘I disagree completely with that behaviour,’ he said. ‘I don’t know really what happened, so I will need to have a chat with him about that.
‘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.
‘The fact is that 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 also damage your reputation as an example.
Jack’s night out on Wednesday was part of a team bonding session following their triumph over the Italian side on Tuesday.
The club’s hierarchy are also frustrated that they were not made aware the picture would be published, despite the fact Wilshere and his representatives knew it was about to appear in the public domain.
A spokesman for Wilshere said: ‘Jack was with friends and team-mates. One dared Jack, who does not smoke, to hold the cigarette momentarily as part of a prank.’
The England midfielder responded to the criticism by tweeting a picture of France legend Zinedine Zidane smoking a cigarette before adding 
that he does not smoke.
