Arsene Wenger has revealed how he used to smoke in the dugout as a young manager to help combat stress and that he once even worked as a cigarette salesman.
Having imposed a pounds 20,000 fine on goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny for lighting a cigarette in the dressing room after the 2-0 defeat by Southampton on New Year's Day, Wenger yesterday admitted to his own past experience with smoking.
Wenger claimed that an occasional cigarette did not have big implications for a footballer's performance but he is adamant that it sets the wrong example and is best avoided.
Szczesny has apologised and, although Wenger has reiterated his expectations to the players privately, he also knows that he cannot police the behaviour of his squad when they are at home or on holiday. Wenger is clearly also sympathetic to how the tension and stress of making high-profile mistakes against Southampton might have caused Szczesny to err.
"I grew up in a pub," said Wenger, in reference to living above the Croix d'Or bar his parents owned in Duttlenheim. "You could not see to the window because of the smoke and I spent my youth selling cigarettes. I have grown up in a period when I had to accomplish military service. At the end of the month, we got paid by cigarettes. It incited us to smoke. When I was a young boy I grew up surrounded by smokers and I smoked myself when I was a young coach.
"The other day on French TV they showed me on the bench smoking a cigarette. I didn't even think it was me. At that time, I remember Marcello Lippi at Juventus smoked a cigar during the whole game in every game." Asked if it was because of stress, Wenger said: "Yes, of course."
There are now strict rules at Arsenal about smoking but Jack Wilshere has also twice been photographed with a cigarette while out socialising.
"I'm sure there are some top
athletes who smoke but it is not a good example," said Wenger. "It depends how much. The best is you don't smoke.
"It's an eternal subject whether you are a role model but, at the end of the day, if you make a good pass on the football pitch that is what people want to see."
The fact that the pounds 20,000 fine is just a third of Szczesny's weekly wage suggests Wenger does not regard the breach as a major incident and the 24-year-old goalkeeper expects to keep his place at home to Stoke City tomorrow.
Wenger also revealed he was confident of making a new signing despite ending interest in St-Etienne's Loic Perrin. The previous urgency to bring in new blood has been eased by the return of key players, with Mesut Ozil due to make his comeback tomorrow and Mathieu Flamini and Aaron Ramsey having both also trained.
"It is not easy for Ozil [to get back in the team] because Santi Cazorla is playing very well but he is ready," said Wenger. "He is hungry."
The manager also denied he had disrespected Lukas Podolski by allowing him to join Inter Milan on loan. "It's nothing to do with his quality, it's just down to the fact we had too many players in the same area," said Wenger.