Szczesny´s Arsenal career up in smoke?

First of all Arsenal fans, I do not really see the problem with our Poland international keeper Wojciech Szczesny smoking a cigarette occasionally, especially if he is on a holiday from his club and country as he is at the minute. Szczesny is a keeper after all so it is not as if he needs to be as super fit as an outfield player.

I also think that the media make too much of all this role model stuff and are really just being so sanctimonious to sell a few extra copies of whatever paper they are working for. But having said that, you would think that Shezzer would have learned his lesson after his crafty ciggy in the Southampton dressing rooms on new years day appears to have cost him the starting shirt for Arsenal.

So the report in The Sun today with pictures of the 25-year old puffing on a fag is the last thing Szczesny needed. He is already second choice with the Gunners and there are a growing number of Arsenal transfer rumours claiming that Arsene Wenger is planning to sign a quality stopper this summer, despite a good performance in the FA cup final at Wembley.

Szczesny spoke after the final about not wanting to leave the club he has been with for nine years but he might not have a great deal of choice in the matter. Has this latest snap sent Shezzer´s Arsenal career up in smoke?

Tags Wenger

20 Comments

  1. I do see a problem with smoking cigarettes as a professional footballer. You get paid a relatively generous sum of money as an athlete, fans pay good money to see players get the maximum out of themselves and their careers, you’d might expect a lifestyle that suits it.

    1. When you are paid that much you are expected to keep your body working at its best. If your being paid the sums that players are and your risking it all for a cigarette than your priorities are well and truly screwed up.

      Cigarettes do more damage than the long term they also affect how your body uses energy. They make your body weight drop (muscles and all), which mean you get tired out easier, your weaker, slower and, most importantly for GKs, you concentration levels are shown to wane. People who smoke can do up to 15% worse in exams after 1 hour than those who don’t. Imagine the effect after 90 mins of quick sprints and jumping…

      I don’t think he should be dropped or sold because of his smoking, but when that is compared with how bad his form is (I know he kept a clean sheet in the final but that was down to the team more than him, they didn’t have a shot on goal that wasn’t blocked or from outside the box), it just seems like he doesn’t care. If Sanchez wasn’t playing well, he would make himself work harder on the pitch and in the gym, same goes for Ronaldo or Messi, or Neuer, you wouldn’t see any of them smoking.

    2. Sczcesny just don’t wanna Learn…………. Oh! What to do….. What to do *pacing up and down a room*

    3. sadly, when u take down smoke (be it ganja , pot , cocaine or stash) as a professional…..u are done for…….be ready to have ur carrear go up in smoke

    4. Double standard, arsenal’s fans are hypocrites, it’s wright for Wiltshere to smoke, but not sczesny, he lost is place but everybody wants Wenger to bench Carzola for Wiltshere,anyway I don’t like both of them sell, sell and sell the smokers and drunken tugs.

  2. Szczesny has to recognise he represents arsenal fc! So anything negative or isnt positive by a player will be controversial and tarnishes the clubs image when the media gets hold of it! I dont know why he dosent get it? He keeps on shooting himself in the foot sorry to say!

    1. @Greg
      The guy is on holiday. We need to relax a little. People have done worse. talking cocain and stuffs. This guy had cigarette and y’all are going mental. he is not the first footballer to smoke and he won’t be the last. He is a fxx keeper. how manay grounds does he get to cover. Lets relax a little. enjoy the summer

  3. Szczesny OUT Cech IN,let alone his bad behaviour which is not suited for a reputable club like Arsenal he’s just not good enough we must get rid of him!

  4. those who are in the public eye specially sports personalities have to set an example to the younger generation, so yes i see a problem with any famous personality’s smoking, drugs, driving fast, extramarital affairs, all things we the ordinary folk love to do but they cant 🙂

    regarding Szczesny i don’t think his the finished article “YET” he was thrown in to the deep-end by arsenal ( with a few other youth players) when we had no money to buy decent or established players, but all coming good soon 🙂

    my main concern regarding Szczesny is senior Szczesny he cant keep his opinion and his mouth shut.

    1. on the striker front as i was saying before the roamers started “Gonzalo Higuain” best option for Arsenal

  5. Szczesny is 24? Long way from his peak. He needs more time to improve. Keep him as no 3 make him crawl his way to no1 and appreciate being Arsenals no 1. He loves the club.

  6. Szcz Arsenal career has been up in smoke from the get go. Yes he did play well during the final but it was obvious to all that he had to be instructed to come and collect/punch everything, if he cant do it on his own initiative well that just doesnt bode well. Not forgetting there was one instance in that final when Szcz came and punched air but luckily the striker knocked it high over.

    1. Why do you think clubs employ coaches, to coach, which is exactly what your saying Szczesny shouldn’t need!
      I suppose if Henry and Begkamp turned up at London Colney to coach our forwards they should be turned away so the players could work off their own initiative!

  7. Not condoning smoking But there’s no evidence to show he smokes all the time I’m sure many footballers enjoy the odd cig. I remember seeing Roger Federer smoking on a couple of occasions court side and I’m talking about a few years ago when he was world no1 and I’d say arguably tennis players have to be fitter than anyone. Also most footballers like to go out for the odd drink and that’s equally damaging for your health it’s just less frowned upon. I’ve been up to Liverpool a few times in the past for nights out one night I was in a club and a few Liverpool players were in there it was a couple of nights before a big super Sunday Man U Liverpool match and there was a few now ex Liverpool players massively drunk. They were also with a few ex players turned pundits who are the type to criticise people like Jack and shezza for smoking but will stand there getting drunk with other players before an important match and not say a word.

    I’d prefer him not to smoke but it’s what he does on the pitch that is important I think he’s got the ability to be a top Goalkeeper he just needs to stay focused and not get too arrogant and take his position for granted. I still think he’s got potential to be far better than ospina and hopefully the good competition will drive him to become better and bring the best out in him. Not sure if we do need another goalkeeper but we’ll know what Wenger thinks by the end of the summer.

    1. Also some footballers are far better at hiding what they get up to in there private life. Giggs for example the model professional who turned out to be having sex with his brothers wife for a decade. There footballers most of them are badly educated rich idiots there not saints.

  8. Seriously, smoking affects your respiratory/cardiovascular systems which is important to football even goalkeepers

    Furthermore, it just looks bad on the club and not a good influence on younger players

    I don’t mind drinking alcohol once in a while. That’s fine but smoking for athletes is not cool

  9. i have said this before but arsenal need a proper goalkeeper coach like seaman or lehmann to train the keepers.
    nothing personal but who the heck is gerry peyton when he is at home, he is not what i call a distinguished ex player at all not like when we had the great old bob wilson as coach seaman use to sing his praises.
    it might help/save Smokey’s career to go to the next level.

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