Pictured above: Nicola Walker
A leading family lawyer is advising Midlands' footie fans to be
sympathetic to the needs of their partners to avoid the possibility
of the World Cup in South Africa causing long-term injuries to
their relationships.
Nicola Walker, a partner in the family law practice at the
Midlands' offices of national law firm Irwin Mitchell, says
spending the duration of the tournament watching the world's finest
players, rather than interacting with our other halves, can come
with penalties of its own.
"As the finals loom, I would encourage football fanatics to
think about the many existing pressures we exert on our
relationships and compromise a little, perhaps by making a special
effort to enjoy some quality time with their partners," says
Nicola.
She believes that partners who aren't interested in the sport
might begin to feel relegated to the subs' bench. Given that it's
important to have shared interests, fans may want to try and
persuade their partners to watch some of the matches too.
In the light of her family law team's experience, she is
concerned that the start of the World Cup on June 11 in
Johannesburg - and especially England's opening game against the
USA in Rustenburg the following day - will not only kick-off
on-pitch confrontation in South Africa but may lead to clashes back
home too.
"Emotions among England fans will run very high, whether the
team is winning or losing," explains Nicola. "Extended drinking
sessions to celebrate the wins or drowning sorrows, and sulking
should things not go according to plan on the pitch, can create an
atmosphere where friction can accumulate and, before you know it,
you're having a huge row.
"This is especially dangerous because factors such as
non-communication and lack of attention are the most commonly
mentioned reasons for divorce. Motives for separation in the past
were much more substantive, whereas now they're to a greater extent
about personal growth and feelings.
"And let's not forget the additional pressures many couple are
under because of the impact of the credit crunch. If money is
having to stretch further, the prospect of a partner boozing down
the pub with friends while watching the games could be hard to
swallow."
Research during the 1998 World Cup in France revealed a third of
UK relationships were in danger during the tournament. It showed
over half of men regularly rowed with their partner about the
amount of time they spent watching and playing sport, and found a
third expected the World Cup to play havoc with their
relationships. More than 60% of men admitted they found sport more
exciting than their partners.
"We noticed an increase in the number of divorce and separation
cases we were handling in the Midlands immediately following the
2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea," continues Nicola. "This
summer, patriotic fans like me are hoping Wayne Rooney, Steve
Gerrard and team mates can match England's 1966 performance by
winning the greatest prize in the sport.
"But we also know the tournament could well signal full-time for
some already-shaky relationships, where one partner increases the
strain by watching too may passes on the box, rather than making
them at their partner."
The latest government statistics reveal that the provisional
marriage rate for England and Wales in 2008 was the lowest since
calculating began in 1862. Meanwhile there were 121,779 divorces in
2008 in England and Wales, the lowest since 1975.
Nicola concludes: "Should a partner not be open to sharing
interest during the World Cup, however, football fans ought to
tread carefully. While the divorce rate may have been falling, the
tournament may mean the red card for a number of relationships. I'm
keeping my fingers crossed for a win-win situation for England and
the relationships of its fans with their partners."