Wenger may go for an international job
FORMER Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who was on the VIP guest list for the England match last night as a FIFA legend, is certainly putting himself in the shop window at the World Cup.
Wenger, who announced when he left Arsenal that he intended to take another job in football, is due to watch numerous games in Russia despite having less punditry work than usual at a major tournament with his broadcasting employers, beIN Sport and Canal+.
The belief is that Wenger, who has been linked with a general manager’s position at Paris Saint-Germain, might be tempted to become an international head coach. And there are sure to be a number of immediate vacancies when 16 countries exit the tournament after the group stage.
Wenger’s companion at many of the World Cup games will be his great friend David Dein, the former Arsenal vice- chairman and sounding board for Wenger.
FORGET the threat of hooliganism, which has yet to be a problem after the first round of group games. The scariest feature of the World Cup are the wild dogs that roam parts of Russia. There were sightings of three very wild dogs around midnight on the eve of the England game right in the centre of Volgograd. And a BBC cameraman, out on a cycle ride in the woods a few miles from England’s base in Repino, had to ride at 36mph to escape a pack of dogs chasing him.
THIS is the first time since the Baden-Baden circus of 2006 that the FA have had an organising role with the squad’s WAGS — around 40 of whom will be based in St Petersburg for as long as the team remain in the tournament, with another 30 family members arriving later.
In 2006 the likes of Victoria Beckham, Cheryl Cole, Nancy Dell’Olio, Toni Terry, Coleen Rooney, Elen Rives and Carly Zucker were anything but publicity-shy. But it is only I’m A Celebrity contestant Rebekah Vardy (above) from the current WAGS who actively seeks a media profile.
THE improving relationship between the FA and FIFA has seen the Best FIFA annual awards return to London on September 24 this year. The event is already earmarked for a third date in the capital in 2019, provided it goes well.