By Katie Martlew
Ever wondered what it’s really like to have an exclusive membership to the Wives and Girlfriends club? Zoë Foster lifts the lid on the glossy-slash-garish world of footballers’ WAGs in her new book, Playing The Field.
The Book: Playing The Field follows the journey of Jean Bennett, an aspiring jewellery designer who moves to the bright lights of Sydney and unintentionally falls head over heels for a star footballer, Josh Fox. Thrown head first into the world of WAGs, Jean attempts to navigate her way through semi-finals, a grueling social calendar and salacious scandals all while holding on to her dignity, (and her man) with dear life.
Frothing with feisty femme fatales, frocks and freshly manicured acrylics, Playing The Field is a cheeky exposé of the glossy world of footballers’ WAGs.
RESCU’s review:
We gulped down Playing The Field in about a weekend. A thoroughly girly read that had us annoyingly addicted to the garish fashion of the tandoori tanned WAGS and seriously appalling antics of the whole footballer scene (every stereo type you imagined, only much, much worse!).
Jeanie, the main character is pretty loveable and ultimately, we couldn’t help but cheer from the sidelines for her romance with the super sexy Josh Fox. The book is a fast paced, indulgent read. Perfect with a few glasses of wine and a packet of Tim Tams.
While Playing The Field is strictly fiction, author Zoë Foster drew inspiration to pen the novel from her many years (10 to be exact) on the front line as a WAG herself.
We grill Zoë on everything from fanatical groupies, ridiculous rumours and WAG rivalry…
RESCU: What was the best, and worst part about being a WAG?
Zoë Foster: “There was – and still is – a terrific bond between myself and some of the girlfriends, particularly when the boys were in the finals, or during State of Origin, and were in camp or away a lot. We’d have high-school style sleepovers and drink far too much wine and just carry on a bit really.
It was crazy fun. The worst part was that there was never any aioli to dip my fries into at the stadium kiosk. Ha Ha! As if. I obviously prefer BBQ sauce.”
RESCU: Was there ever any rivalry between any of the other WAGs?
Zoë Foster: “No. Quite the opposite. We were our own little team.”
RESCU: What was the most ridiculous rumour or story printed about your relationship with a famous footballer?
Zoë Foster: “I always enjoyed the ones where he was spotted at a cafe with a ‘mysterious brunette,’ which was in fact me. (I really need to stop wearing cloaks and disappearing in clouds of smoke.)”
RESCU: Tell us about the most fanatical groupie you’ve come across?
Zoë Foster: “If by ‘fanatical’ you mean ‘suffering an acute lack of self-respect,’ then probably the women who deliberately, openly tried to piss me off (spilling drinks on me as they walked past, massive stink eye, talking loudly about all the sexual things they’d do to him with me standing there) as a kind of strange courting ritual to get me to leave in a huff so that Craig would notice them and immediately whisk them off to a four-poster bed in a castle somewhere.”
RESCU: Was it difficult to handle having your once private relationship with your partner thrust into the public arena after he became such a famous footballer? You seemed to be one of the only WAGS who kept her independence and didn’t go crazy with the limelight or pressure. How did you deal with it?
Zoë Foster: “Excellent! I successfully fooled you all! No, I did have moments of crazy. Definitely. I would navigate the rougher moments by first going off my nut a bit, then calming down and drawing on (or perhaps manufacturing some more) emotional strength. Bigger picture I, we always tried to ensure there was a pristine communication channel and of course, trust.”
RESCU: Why do you think the public is so increasingly obsessed with WAGs?
Zoë Foster: “Truthfully I think we’re a bit low on celebrities here, but since we have an increasingly insatiable media appetite, and being that most of the WAGs are gorgeous, fashionable, shiny women, they not only make for great photographs, but they add glamour and allure to whichever sport their partner is involved in. And, you know, people love a power couple.”
RESCU: Did you change the way you dressed or behaved in public to live up to the WAG expectations and profile?
Zoë Foster: “Not so much. Being a beauty editor I was already used to having to look ‘the part’ day to day, so to carry that through to the football or events we’d attend as a couple wasn’t that much of a stretch. And plus, I enjoy dressing up and feeling good about my hair/makeup/lack of spinach in teeth.”
Zoë Foster is the bestselling author of Air Kisses and Textbook Romance and currently Editor-in-Chief of www.primped.com.au, beauty columnist of The Sunday Telegraph and Cosmopolitan’s dating expert.
Playing The Field, Penguin, RRP $32.95
