Jack Wilshere owns up and admits smoking was a 'mistake'

The Arsenal midfielder was photographed on night out but it had been claimed that he was only doing it as part of a dare.

Jack Wilshere has admitted making “a mistake” after being pictured with a cigarette last week, despite a representative for the Arsenal midfielder previously claiming the incident was part of a prank.
Wilshere, who scored the equaliser during his side’s 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion on Sunday, was pictured with a cigarette outside a London nightclub in the early hours of Thursday, after the 2-0 home victory against Napoli in the Champions League.
Arsène Wenger said on Friday he “disagreed completely” with players smoking and, despite earlier claims that he was holding the cigarette as part of “a dare”, Wilshere said: “I made a mistake, players make mistakes, I’m not a smoker. I spoke with the boss and he asked me what happened, I explained to him, we sorted it out and he put me in the team and hopefully I repaid him,” he said.
Asked if he thought it was an issue that could return, he added: “No it’s not. I’m not a smoker, so I think that will be my last one.”
Wenger was pleased with how the player answered his critics. “He is an honest guy and, when he is wrong, he knows it,” the Arsenal manager said of his midfielder. “I think today the players don’t get away with anything. We got away with it a bit more but they know that’s the rules of the modern game.
“They have to deal with it and I think he learns very quickly. What is more interesting for him and for Arsenal is that he shows the right response on the pitch.”
Roy Hodgson has said he will not talk to Wilshere about the smoking incident and has also backed the player to do well if he is selected for the World Cup qualifying games against Montenegro and Poland in the next week. “I trust Arsène to deal with that situation,” the England manager said. “He will make it clear, I’m sure, to Jack what his responsibilities are. I’ve had no problems of that nature with Jack, so I don’t need to involve myself in it.
“Jack’s an Arsenal player who also plays for England. If Arsène thinks it’s also good for me to have a word with Jack I’ll be more than happy to do so but as far as I’m concerned, it’s Arsenal’s responsibility.
“I believe in him, I think he’s a very good player, and I’m hoping that he’ll turn up fully fit to play and then it’ll be up to me to decide whether I want to put him in the starting lineup.”

This article titled “Jack Wilshere admits smoking was a ‘mistake’ and not a prank” was written by James Riach, for theguardian.com