All that glitters….?

The latest high profile divorce to hit the headlines highlights the reality of life in the sporting fast lane: its not all good news!

The fact is that the rate of marital breakdown amongst professional footballers is almost double the average: in fact one in three will be divorced within 12 months of retirement.

With football managers encouraging their players to settle down and marry early, the idea being to keep them focussed on the game rather than on their weekend partying, the average age at which they tie the knot is far younger than average. So its often the case that they will earn more in the five or so stellar years of their careers than they will over the course of the rest of their lives. If they find themselves divorcing during that time, they may have to give away half of their fortune, only to find themselves penniless a few years later.

Like many professional sportsmen, an unusually high proportion of footballers, once they hit retirement , declare bankruptcy. Research suggests that three out of five Premier League players declare bankruptcy within five years of retirement …and four out of every five will develop osteoarthritis. There are some 150 former players currently serving sentences in the prison system, most of those for drug-related offences, and 124 under the age of 25.

None of this likely to be an issue for Mr Wenger of course, but he might think of suggesting his players think carefully about getting married just at the time when their careers and their earnings go skywards.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has now officially separated from his wife , according to the media.
The pair have parted ways after months of speculation about their relationship.
The Gunners manager and Annie got a judge to issue a 'separation of bodies' judgement in June. It means they are free to see other people - but it's not a full divorce.
The 65-year-old manager is still expected to support Annie financially.
A source said: 'They have not been happy for a while, and they decided this was the best course of action to take.'
The pair got hitched in 2010 after a long-term relationship.
Wenger and Annie, a former basketball player, were living at their North London mansion.

The Frenchman has managed Arsenal since 1996 and in 2008 he confessed the job was a strain on his family life.