Ex-ManUnited star Roy Keane declares war on WAGs

Sunderland boss Roy Keane has declared war on WAGS, or the Wives and Girlfriends of England football stars, describing them as a menacing new force.

London, Aug.15 : Sunderland boss Roy Keane has declared war on WAGS, or the Wives and Girlfriends of England football stars, describing them as "a menacing new force".

Blaming WAG power for some footballers refusing to sign up with his club this summer, Keane insisted that some players had decided against joining the North-East club simply because "their wife wants to go shopping in London".

The former Manchester United star was scathing about the rising influence of stilettos on the sidelines.

"Greed will always be a part of the game and that will never change," he said.

"Women running the show; concerns me and worries me. Maybe it shouldn't really because the players I am talking about are soft anyway. If someone doesn't want to come to Sunderland then all well and good. But if they don't want to come to Sunderland because their wife wants to go shopping in London, then it is a sad state of affairs," the Daily Mail quoted Keane, as saying.

"Priorities have changed for footballers, and they are being dictated to by their wives and girlfriends. I could name three or four big players now, and clearly their wives and girlfriends are running their lives because they are doing these photo-shoots and all that kind of stuff," he added.

Keane, 36, did not specify which players were involved. However he was snubbed by Chris Baird, who went to Fulham, David Nugent, now at Portsmouth, and Leighton Baines, who went to Everton, after he had agreed fees for them with their respective clubs.

He said: "I have had a player this summer who didn't even ring us back because his wife wanted to move to London. And shopping was mentioned. It might astonish many people but it is true."

ANI