Transcript Pink 1 - University of Essex

Wag’s World: The Work of a
Footballer’s Wife
http://www.billcaldwell.com/acatalog/June_2006.html featured in the Sun 22/06/2006:8
The Wag
“A typical Wag is recognised by her
fake tan, hair extensions, oversized
sunglasses and the arm-breaking,
oversized designer bag she is
carrying. Some Wags have managed
to turn their status into a ‘job’. Wayne
Rooney’s bride-to-be Coleen has a
reported £8 million fortune thanks to
a perfume range, book, TV and fitness
DVD deals and a column in Closer
magazine” (Sheridan 06/02/08 Daily Mail
[online])
The Wag Phenomenon
“There is also, of course, the whole WAG
phenomenon, predicated almost entirely on a
cynical pact between rich, bored, badly
behaved men (Ashley Cole comes to mind) and
the women who want to live off them. The
gaggle of wannabe WAGs hovering outside any
nightclub frequented by Premier League
footballers is proof that there is an increasing
number of women who believe that far from
having their own life and their own job, the
notion of being a human leech is to some
degree a preferable career.” (Turner, Daily Mail
2008:36)
Job Description
“Key skills, rather, are looking decorative in
a cocktail dress and smiling politely at
official functions. On no account should you
attempt to interfere in matters of state pre-match strategy and post-match analysis
are strictly for the men - and you will be
expected to socialise extensively with the
other wives according to a strict hierarchical
pecking order - deferring to the captain's
and the manager's wives and patronising
the younger and less successful wives.”
(Cadwalldr Observer Sport Monthly June 2006:64)
Fired or Retired?
“‘I couldn’t be one of those footballers’
wives who just accept them sleeping
around because they live in a nice
house and have designer
handbags’….‘What if you get cheated on
or beat up? What are you going to do
then? Stay there for the Chloé
handbag? I don’t think so.’” (Cheryl Cole
in OK! Guiltenane 2007:51,53)
“the professor came into see me to tell
me what it was first [shattered knee]
and I was like umm well cos we
thought he was just gonna say a little
damage and he said he’s done this,
he’s done that and he’s done this. He’s
like if you could tell him I’d appreciate
it and I’m like oh please and he just
left and I’m like great thanks for that,
so how? And he was my husband by
then so now I’ve got to tell my new
husband that his career is on hold”
(Jackie)
“he finishes his career it’s not
about him any more it’s going to
be about me. Like I said we are
going to have to move about for
me now, it’s my job that
determines where we stay and
things like that. That’s probably
the biggest thing that I look
forward to.” (Kate)
“I’ve never met so many
beauticians and hairdressers in my
life like and there’s nothing wrong
with that but it just seems to be
because, I think the reason, I think
it is, is because you need to fit in so
much with their career you need all
these jobs that move about
easily……at least they are making
the most of the situation and you
can’t do more than that in football”
(Kate)
“She’d say, oh it’s bizarre, because I say
oh we’ve got a move, it’s obviously not
we’ve got a move - he’s got a move and
we’re going but she says like ‘we’ve had a
pay rise’ it’s not we though is it? What
have you done? She used to work in a
bank like Natwest part-time and it was
something like her kid used to go to, when
she just had one, to nursery and her
wages covered half the nursery fees she
said oh there you are I’m bringing money
into the house. You think you could live in
a £500,000 house on that money and just
things like that I find bizarre these girls
are like giving themselves credit the whole
thing’s just strange”. (Jackie)
“I really had to get used to that
way of thinking and to think
about the way to say things and
maybe it’s [this area] maybe it’s
the country, it’s not easy to make
friends with the English in the
beginning because they don’t let
you in. So you know for my first
four or five years all my friends
were foreigners you know the
foreign players” (Joanne)
“I’m good friends with [player’s
wife], she’s a good friend of mine.
I get on well with her but her
husband was playing in [my
partner’s] position when [he] got
dropped you know and it’s still
like you’re going to the games
but really thinking ‘fuck up, fuck
up’ because he makes a mistake,
[my fiancé] gets back in but at
the same time she’s your mate
there…” (Lisa)
“you’re torn between looking like
a stuck up bitch saying I now
drive a Range Rover and I’ve got
a credit card to go shopping, and
they’re still doing the job that I
was doing do you see what I’m
saying” (Lisa)
“Do you have this glamorous life - no I
don’t you know, I mean I have to
bring the kids in to bed and I still go
to the toilet and er you know you have
to see me with my kids, especially
being a pilates teacher. There’s
nothing glamorous about me at all
because I’m in my tracksuit everyday,
I pick up the kids and I am so not
glamorous. I can be glamorous”
(Joanne)
“I see what you’ve
got, you’ve got nice
things but I
wouldn’t want your
life”