In today’s papers, a picture has been printed of Jack Wilshere, outside a night club, with a cigarette, ‘flirting’ with a pretty blonde. The paper claims that it was taken in the early hours of Wednesday morning, after the game against Napoli.

There are many different things going through my head. A player smoking, going on a night out and flirting with a girl a week after his childhood sweetheart has given birth. Let me quickly address these.

I do not have a problem with the smoking. Yes, it is a dirty habit. One which will kill you. It saddens me when I see a child in school uniform smoking, as they have succumbed to peer pressure and will end up dying young, having spent thousands of pounds slowly killing themselves. But that is a side point. A footballer smoking. He has got a lot of criticism for it.

However, a lot of people smoke. Zinadine Zidane smoked. Wayne Rooney has been caught with a cigarette. Reports were Robin Van Persie often liked a smoke. This has not effected any of these players. Footballers train so hard and regularly that the effects of smoking (ie blocked lungs) will have little, if any effect. Smoking might damage your health, but it will not effect Jack Wilshere’s performance.

The second point is being on a night out. There is no proof that Wilshere was drinking and usually after a game, players are given the night off. With the next day’s training often being light stretching and ice baths. The day’s are nowhere near as bad as the old Tuesday Club of Adams, Bould, Merson and Groves. There is no issue with a player going out after a game. Some go for a meal with their wives. Other’s go to a club. Jack Wilshere is 21.

The last point about him ‘flirting’ is the most ludicrous. Talking to a girl does not mean you a flirting. No one knows who this girl is, her relationship with Wilshere, or what they were talking about. In the words of Emmanuel Frimpong. Leave it, Yeah!

The press need to back off Jack Wilshere a bit. The British press are gutter scum. They have a history of building people up, then knocking them down, for the sole purpose of sales. That is what they are doing to Jack Wilshere. It is what they did to Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, Gazza, George Best and more.

Rather then appreciate a talent, and let a player develop into a star who will represent his country, they knock him down. And this is all the story is. The Sun (I was not going to name the rag) have recently forced everyone to pay to access their website. This picture was no more than a way for them to force people to either pay for a paper, or log onto the website. This story is nothing but an attempt to increase sales.

Saying that, Jack Wilshere could do with looking at his midfield partner, Aaron Ramsey, and how he lives his life. A lot more private (or just less newsworthy?), his brilliant form this season is down to knuckling down and concentrating on his football. Jack Wilshere could do with spending the next few months concentrating on getting his place back in the Arsenal team. He needs to avoid putting himself in positions where the press, and fans could have a dig.

Wilshere is a talented individual, there is no doubt about that. However, he has to be a little careful that his football does not become disrupted or overshadowed by nights out. Pictures of him in clubs smoking, arrests or spitting at taxi drivers. Even having 2 children by 21 with a women who you have been in an ‘on off relationship’ with is a tad chavvy.

He needs to realise his god given gift. He needs to ensure he does not become a Frimpong, a Bentley or a Pennant. Knuckle down, concentrate on playing and he will become a superstar.

Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere could do for Arsenal what Xavi and Iniesta have done for Barcelona. We as fans just need to be patient, and they as players need to ensure they continue to put the hard work in.

Keenos
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