Roy Hodgson admits to smoking shisha but says that he is not a fan of it

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/feb/13/roy-hodgson-admits-smoking-shisha

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Roy Hodgson does not understand the fuss surrounding Jack Wilshere’s latest smoking controversy and does not profess to be a fan of shisha pipes after admitting he once tried one.

Arsène Wenger had a stern word in Wilshere’s ear last week when the Arsenal midfielder was pictured holding a shisha pipe at a nightclub. Wilshere has twice been seen with a cigarette in his hand, much to the dismay of Wenger, who has made it known that he takes a dim view of smoking.

According to the British Heart Foundation, smoking shisha pipes can be hazardous to your health, especially if they contain nicotine. “You and anyone sitting near you are breathing in smoke which releases toxins including carbon monoxide and heavy metals – reducing your body’s ability to carry oxygen around in your blood,” said the BHF, who also warned that shisha tobacco can contain “nicotine, tar, carbon monoxide and heavy metals, such as arsenic and lead”.

Hodgson was caught off guard when asked about the shisha episode during a press conference on Thursday. “I thought tobacco was smoking and shisha pipes were [just] water with flavour?” Hodgson said. When informed that some shisha pipes contain nicotine, the England manager replied: “Does it? Are you sure about that? I am not 100% sure.”

When Wilshere and Hodgson next meet they will be able to discuss the matter as they both appear to have smoked the pipes. Hodgson, however, is not a big fan. “As an ex-cigar smoker, when I tried it [shisha] I thought it was a complete nonsense, I couldn’t understand who would do it,” Hodgson added.

“Apart from a faint fruity taste in your mouth that was about the end of it. It isn’t ideal but we don’t live in an ideal world. I am happy it has been dealt with and it won’t occupy a lot of my time with Jack when I see him because we have a football match to win.”