THE WAGS SIDESHOW

As well as excellent football, the last World Cup in Germany brought us something new, and wholly unwanted by football purists - we were introduced to footballer's Wives and Girlfriends (you probably know them as WAGs, a term we can be grateful for the British tabloids coining during the last tournament). We can only hope those who travel to South Africa with the current crop of potential World Cup winners avoid the circus we witnessed when the 2006 edition pitched up in Baden Baden. The locals probably didn't know what had hit them. Rumours of expensive parties, rowdy behaviour and thousands of pounds blown on pink champagne are probably bestr avoided. It is likely that Fabio Capello will keep a sterner eye on this than Sven Goran Eriksson. After all, Mr Eriksson was not averse to finding his name on the front page of newspapers as well as the back. But with two of the most prominent WAGs from Germany, Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Cole, absent from Germany, it is hoped we can concentrate on the football on the pitch, rather than rumours being generated off the pitch and making it onto the front pages of the tabloids.

CHRISTINE BLEAKLEY - GIRLFRIEND OF MIDFIELDER FRANK LAMPARD

As one of the only WAGs who are a personality in their own right, it is slightly unfair to group Miss Bleakley with the others. She has been a television personality in her native Northern Ireland since 1997, on a variety of radio and television programmes, since getting her big break with the BBC on a talent show, Let Me Entertain You. She has co-hosted The One Show since 2007, a gig which really thrust her into the limelight. This helped her get a spot on Strictly Come Dancing in 2008, as well as an invitation to the Pride of Britain Awards in October last year, where she fist met Lampard. It is questionable how much time she will be able to spend in South Africa due to her commitments on The One Show.


ABI CLANCY - GIRLFRIEND OF STRIKER PETER CROUCH

To be fair to Miss Clancy, she has at least tried to maintain a semblance of her individuality since starting a relationship with the massive Peter Crouch. She shot to prominence at around the time of the last World Cup in Germany, when she was a finalist on Britain's Next Top Model shortly before it was revealed she was involved with Crouch. Since then, her media career has really taken off. She has modelled for a variety of publications, such as Nuts, Maxim, OK, GQ!, FHM, the Sun and the Daily Star. She has also appeared on a number of talk shows and game shows, as well as a series of reality TV progamme Hell's Kitchen. She's certainly been busy, and it's fair to say she's hanging on to the fame of her partner for all it's worth!


CARLY COLE - WIFE OF MIDFIELDER JOE COLE.

The spouse of winger Joe Cole still works for a living, as a fitness insturctor, despite probably not having to. To this end, she has also modelled for fitness and fashion magazines. She has been with Cole since 2002, marrying last year and giving birth to thier first child earlier this year. The one blot on her copybook was her appearance on I'm a Celebrity... in 2008, showing Mrs Cole is not averse to the cult of celebrity.


ALEX GERRARD - WIVE OF MIDFIELDER STEVEN GERRARD.

In the absence of Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Cole, Mrs Gerrard is one of the most recognisable WAGs who will be present in South Africa. She has been with Gerrard since 2002, and in the intervening period, she has done little with herself, work-wise. She wrote a column in the Daily Mirror in 2007 - the wonderfully titled 'Go Shopping With Alex Curran, and she also launched her own fragance the same year. But mainly, the former nail technician just gets photographed looking pretty, and basking in the wealth given to her by her successful husband.


COLEEN ROONEY - WIVE OF WAYNE ROONEY.

Alongside Alex Gerrard, she will be one of the most prominent WAGs at this World Cup. She met Manchester Unitede striker Rooney when they were both 12, and reportedly started a relationship when they were 16. Wayne apparently took Coleen to see Austin Powers 2 at the cinema on their first date. And months later, Rooney hit the headlines by becoming the youngest scorer in the Premier League, 11 days short of his 17th birthday. When he was a new star, Coleen looked like your average teenage schoolgirl. But the next time we saw her, she looked like a model. Surprise surprise. Since Rooney burst onto the scene, Coleen has forged a successful media career for herself, including magazine and advertising deals, a clothing brand, and exercise DVD, and in 2007, an autobiography (although how she found enough material to fill it is anyone's guess). She even stuck by Wayne after it emerged he visited 'massage parlours' during the infancy of their relationship. How noble. But the £1.3 million mansion in Cheshire probably doesn't hurt!

And two who didn't quite make the plane, but for vastly different reasons - Victoria Beckham and Cheryl Cole. But for a torn ankle ligament, Victoria Beckham would have been boarding the plane to South Africa to support her husbanc for the fourth time in a World Cup. As it is, David has to settle for an ambassadorial/coaching role alonside Fabio Capello. Cheryl Cole, estranged wife of England left-back Ashley Cole, has suffered one betrayal too many from her soon to be ex-husband. As two of the most prominent - and definitely the two most famous - wives who went to Germany, we can only pray some of the circus will be left at home with them.