England’s WAGs are set to snub World Cup
ENgLAND WAgs are ready to snub the team’s World Cup base in a move that is likely to ease security fears going into the tournament.
Boris Johnson sparked a wave of protest on Tuesday by suggesting a boycott of the tournament following Russia’s suspected poisoning of double agent Sergei Skripal on British soil.
Despite the Foreign Secretary’s intervention, the FA’s plans to send their officials have not changed. But the majority of england’s wives and girlfriends will not be based in Repino amid rising security fears.
Players’ families have typically stayed close to the team base at previous major tournaments, as was the case in Chantilly during euro 2016 and Rio de Janiero at the World Cup four years ago.
But this time, some are ready to snub the finals completely, while others will fly in and out for games.
Those who do decide to stay in Russia are understood to be planning to base themselves in St Petersburg, despite england’s team hotel being almost a 30-mile drive away in sleepy Repino.
england’s complex will have high levels of security, but the town offers little in the way of activities and nightlife. At least the decision to stay away may spare england manager gareth Southgate the distraction that often comes with the WAgs circus.
Managing the level of access players have to their loved ones during tournaments has been a difficult balancing act for Southgate’s predecessors.
The england boss is keen to nurture a more relaxed atmosphere among his squad and is unlikely to limit his squad spending time with their families too much, but the reluctance to stay in Repino may prevent a potential sideshow.
Meanwhile, Dominic CalvertLewin may be given the chance to force his way into england’s World Cup squad.
Southgate is considering including the everton striker in his plans for the friendlies against holland and Italy at the end of the month.
harry Kane, Jamie Vardy and Marcus Rashford are the manager’s three main forwards, but he is keen to look at different options.
Liverpool’s Dominic Solanke and Tammy Abraham of Swansea were called up to face Brazil in November but neither has scored a Premier League goal since.
Calvert-Lewin, 20, trained with the senior squad before that friendly and has been a regular for everton all season, scoring four Premier League goals.
The scorer of the goal that won the World Cup for england’s Under 20s last summer is also attractive because he can play in several positions along the front line.