WAGs should be offered counselling by clubs because of struggles with trolls, other women & their partners, study finds

FOOTBALL clubs should offer counselling to the wives and girlfriends of players, the first study on Wags concludes. The likes of Becky Vardy and Coleen Rooney might need help because of all they deal with, it is claimed. Football clubs should offer counselling to the wives and girlfriends, study claims (pictured Rebekah Vardy) Credit: PA WAGs told of the ‘horrific’ impact of fame, while some say they have received online attacks and even death threats for their appearance, pictured Coleen Rooney Credit: Getty Researchers at Leeds Beckett University — who spoke to seven women — found that being a Wag could be an “invasive force that could threaten or harm their identity and self-esteem”. The Wags, aged between 23 and 34, told of their struggles to deal with online trolls, other women, and their own partners. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! One said: “I know girls who sleep with football players and then take their watches or ask for a payout, so they don’t tell their wives.” Others told of death threats over their appearance. Another added: “There’s an added pressure of being a partner of a player, 100 per cent.” They all spoke of their own needs having to “take a back seat” for the men. The researchers found the Wags played a “critical yet under-recognised role in player well-being and performance”. However, they said that clubs rarely considered their welfare was important. Most read in Sport Comment now