Compromise, it is claimed, is the secret to a happy marriage, writes Tracey O’Sullivan. Well compromise in our house goes something like this – hubbie put up with Britain’s Got Talent, so now I have to stomach a month of the World Cup.

Not so sure I am such a big fan of the fact my part of the deal is now over or that my side of the bargain didn’t include EastEnders or Coronation Street during the next month, the new series of Mary Queen of Shops or Gok Wan’s Fashion Fix.

So yes I am among those prepared for a summer of red cards and calling foul on each other as we divvy up the screen time. I reckon Nick Clegg had it easier negotiating his deal with new Prime Minister David Cameron. Their intense weekend of horse-trading has nothing on World Cup month in our house.

Then this little nugget of information popped up in my inbox. A survey of British households by online divorce company www.divorce-online.co.uk has found that 10 per cent of people have ended a relationship because of rows about football (This equates to 4.9 million people).

It’s just a game surely – not worth that much of a fallout. But I did try saying that once and it wasn’t pretty. It seems the tournament to beat all tournaments is serious stuff for football fans and while divorce is not on the cards for everyone, 11 per cent of people expect their relationship to become more strained during the World Cup.

Now to avoid tensions and distractions Fabio Capello has taken the decision to leave the wives at home. Yes The WAGs have officially been banned. But somehow
I don’t think that will help domestic relations on the home front.

A month’s ban from my living room – no, not prepared to take that one on the chin even for the good of the nation. But I can concede, in the interests of sporting fairness, that this does just come around once every four years and my football-mad husband is fairly regulated in the amount of “everyday sport” he watches.

And despite constant grumbles of “this is rubbish” from his favourite armchair he did battle through a week of BGT live finals with me which included a tangoed cruise ship entertainer and a man chopping wood. I may be mad but I have come to the conclusion if you can’t beat them join them.

Forget the WAGs I am launching the WIJIs – WIves or WIdows (football widows that is) Joining In. I am going to attempt to watch all the England games with my better half and a good deal of the other 62 crucial games taking place this summer.

I have already googled the offside rule and came across a pretty good explanation using purses and shoes – a language I understand. And I even managed the 90 minutes of England’s warm-up game earlier this week.

Needless to say other than Rooney’s outburst the excitement factor was about as good as the wood-chopper and therefore didn’t fill me with confidence for the task ahead. But I am determined – if nothing else to bank the brownie points I will be earning.

Now I am looking for other Shropshire women to get in touch with their World Cup woes or their ideas on how to beat them by joining them.

I will keep you up-to-date with great World Cup deals, buys and fashion and will give alternatives for those of you not remotely interested in joining in. Forget letting the men have it all their own way – the WAGs may not be there but the girls are taking over at home.

You can be a football fan or detest the game. Just write and tell me what you think and what you are doing to enjoy or avoid the World Cup in 2010 at tosullivan@shropshirestar.co.uk