Managers join in to end WAG culture

When even David Beckham has turned on the WAG culture you know it has run its course. "There's a lot more seriousness now and it's paying off," he said. "That's the way it should be. At past competitions, it's been about other things that have surrounded the England team. Wags got out of hand."

Unsurprisingly both Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger are also against the idea that a travelling football team carries a retinue of wives and girlfriends, plus kids, nannies, paparazzi, hairdressers and tanning specialists.

The Manchester United manager made it clear the Baden- Baden "circus", as it was described this week by his club captain, Rio Ferdinand, was anathema to him. "All the time you read all these things you do wonder what impact it can have when they're all grouped together – no question about that," Ferguson said. "And if Rio thought it was an encumbrance on the team, then I'm sure that Fabio Capello is quite aware of it. To succeed in football there's a certain discipline required. A sacrifice has to be made by everyone. That's always been the case here."

No one has ever been in any doubt about that but Wenger also runs a tight ship at Arsenal with anyone who loses focus being quietly shipped out.

The Frenchman was rather more oblique than Ferguson but his sympathies were clear when he said, "Frankly I just believe what is important is when the guy has the ball on the pitch that he makes a good pass and a good decision. If that is related to the long heels or the short heels which the girls wear in the street, then I am not a great fan of that and do not think that has anything to do with football."

Nevertheless, Wenger said he would be happy to have Beckham join Arsenal for training, as he did last season, when Los Angeles Galaxy's season finishes. "He is always welcome back," Wenger said. "His behaviour was spot on, he was a top level professional and he earned a lot of respect here."