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    Roma boss Jose Mourinho reveals all-time XI of players he managed, including Ronaldo and Ozil… but NO Man Utd stars

    JOSE MOURINHO revealed his all-time XI of players he has managed – but it had NO Manchester United stars selected.The Special One was appointed as United boss in May 2016, but despite winning the Europa League and Carabao Cup in his first season, fans never really took to him.

    Mourinho was sacked in December 2018, his time at the club blighted by rumours of fall-outs with Paul Pogba.
    Unsurprisingly the French midfielder doesn’t make the all-star XI, as reported by AS in 2020.
    And there are certainly plenty of surprise omissions considering some of the world class players Jose – who now manages Roma in Serie A – has worked with in the past. Perhaps Tammy Abraham or Paulo Dybala might have made the cut, if he had picked the team more recently.
    Sergio Ramos, David De Gea, Iker Casillas and Zlatan Ibrahimovic could easily have bagged a spot in the team too.
    And, of course, there is Mourinho’s former star striker Harry Kane at Spurs – but he failed to make the cut as well.
    In goal Mourinho has gone for Petr Cech, who was his No1 during some glorious spells at Chelsea.
    In defence, John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho, two of Mourinho’s rocks during his Chelsea days, are at centre-half, with William Gallas and Javier Zanetti occupying the full-back slots.
    Zanetti is the only player to feature from Inter Milan, where Mourinho coached between 2008 and 2010 and won the Champions League as part of a treble in his final season.
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    The Chelsea core continues throughout the rest of the team.
    Claude Makelele sits in the defensive midfield position. Frank Lampard plays just in front of him alongside ex-Arsenal star Mesut Ozil, who Mourinho managed during his time at Real Madrid between 2010-13.
    Eden Hazard and Cristiano Ronaldo will cut in from the flanks to provide the goals and assists for frontman Didier Drogba.
    Jose Mourinho has managed some of the greatest footballers of all timeCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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    Eden Hazard’s barber reveals ex-Chelsea star has had SIX transfer offers in X-rated defence against troll

    EDEN HAZARD’s barber has leapt to the defence of his client after trolls suggested that no club wanted to sign the former Chelsea man.Hazard, 32, has been a free agent since Real Madrid tore up his £400,000-a-week contract at the beginning of the transfer window.
    Eden Hazard and his barber have a close relationshipCredit: tiktok @astarbarbers
    Hazard has regularly flown the London based barber to Madrid just to get a trimCredit: tiktok @astarbarbers
    Despite being a free agent, he has struggled to find a new club – with potential suitors put off by his high wages and struggles with fitness.
    The winger has reportedly even considered retiring if a suitable club does not come forward by the end of the window.
    Fans online have suggested that Hazard’s struggles to find a club are because no club is interested, but his barber has moved to quash that rumour.
    A fan commented on Hazard’s Instagram, saying “No one wants to sign you.”
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    To which his barber snapped back in an explicit response.
    A Star Barbers, who has cut Hazard’s hair for a number of years, replied to the comment, writing: “That’s funny because he’s rejected six teams. T**t.”
    Hazard’s time in the Spanish capital was a huge disappointment with injuries limiting him to 76 appearances, in which he scored just seven goals and provided 12 assists.
    Last season he scored once in 10 matches and failed to play a full 90 minutes.
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    With injuries and illness causing him to miss 78 matches for Real Madrid, Hazard has failed to complete a full 90 minutes of football since November 2021.
    The majority of Hazard’s interest has come from outside of Europe – with MLS sides Vancouver Whitecaps and David Beckham’s Inter Miami reportedly putting deals on the table for the forward.
    If the barber’s word is gospel, that would suggest that Hazard has rejected playing alongside Lionel Messi in Miami. More

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    I offered Duncan Ferguson out for a fight and immediately regretted it when he waited for me topless in the tunnel

    DUNCAN FERGUSON once waited topless in the tunnel for Jimmy Bullard after he cheekily offered to fight him. The former Everton hardman was sent off against Wigan when he hit Paul Scharner in 2006.
    Jimmy Bullard regretted his cheeky comment to Duncan FergusonCredit: YouTube/SKYSPORTSRETRO
    Ferguson developed a reputation as someone not to mess withCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    Bullard got involved in the incident and clearly angered the Scottish striker even more.
    The Soccer AM host told talkSPORT: “David Moyes sent Ferguson on with ten minutes to go. It’s a corner, it gets cleared out and all I hear is our centre-half on the deck.
    “Duncan Ferguson’s running out smiling and growling and I’m like, he’s given him a clump obviously.
    “So I’m looking around and I see Lee McCullough is a Scottish boy in our team and James McFadden is a Scottish boy in their team and I’m going ‘is he alright?’
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    “Is Dunc alright because his eyes are gone, he’s ready for a tear up?
    “I’m grabbing him and I’ve got to be a bit careful.
    “Remember he’s been on the pitch five or ten minutes – straight red [card].
    “As he walks off, I just get in my head, ‘see you in the tunnel there Dunc, I’ll see you in the tunnel’.
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    “As I said it, Lee McCullough went ‘I wouldn’t have done that’.
    “[Ferguson] goes ‘No problem wee man.’ So he’s waiting in the tunnel with his shirt off.
    “I’ve got ten minutes to play and I’m looking over and McCullough’s gone ‘look at the tunnel’.
    “I’m looking over and going ‘oh no’.
    “The final whistle went, I’m still giving a standing ovation, all that’s left [in the stadium] is a pigeon and a crisp packet. I’m like, I don’t want to walk in.
    “He grabs me round the neck, picks me up and gives it to me proper and all the boys have run in and left me.
    “But what people don’t know about that story is two weeks after, I went to Goodwood races, big Dunc’s there.
    “The only person I didn’t want to see. My heart went through my throat. Then all the boys grabbed me, put me in front of him.
    “He went ‘ah don’t worry about it’ with a big cigar in his gob and a bottle of champagne. He was pukka.” More

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    Pundit Peter Crouch says his career ‘finished’ when Abbey Clancy was locked out of their house as he played Call of Duty

    PETER CROUCH has revealed his career “finished” when he was too busy playing Call of Duty to realise his wife was locked out of the house. The ex-Tottenham and Liverpool striker, who is now a pundit for TNT Sports told the hilarious tale which ended with Abbey Clancy fuming as he gamed with 12-year-olds.
    Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy have been married since 2011
    Clancy was left infuriated by Crouch’s obsession with Call of Duty
    Crouch announced his retirement in 2019 at the age of 38 after a long and memorable career.
    He has since been enjoying gaming in his down time – along with plenty of other projects.
    The former England ace told of the moment he was left considering hanging up his boots after a session on the popular shooting game Call of Duty infuriated Abbey.
    He told Chris Moyles on Radio X: “My career finished when Abb was locked out the house and I was playing Call of Duty.
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    “I had the headphones on and the mic and she was locked out the house and I had no idea.
    “I was telling people to ‘get down! Frag out!’ And she’s been outside for ages banging on the door. She’s gone to the neighbours and they let them in.
    “And I’m still in there, dark room, full headphones on, telling 12-year-olds to get down and cover me.
    “The look she gave me was like ‘you loser!’ And that look was the moment I thought I better leave this.”
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    Crouch has had a productive time since retirement from football.
    Along with his work for TNT Sports, he fronts the regular popular podcast “That Peter Crouch Podcast”.
    He also became a judge on the ITV shows The Masked Dancer and The Masked Singer. More

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    Kieran Trippier snubs Harry Kane and Antoine Griezmann, as he names his best-ever team-mate

    KIERAN TRIPPIER has named the best team-mate he has ever played alongside… and it may surprise a few people.The full-back has linked up with a host of superstar talent during his career.
    Trippier has surprised some with his pick for best ever team-mateCredit: Getty
    At Tottenham, he featured alongside the likes of Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Son Heung-min.
    He then moved to Atletico Madrid and won the LaLiga title in a squad which included Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez and Joao Felix.
    And now he has returned to England with Newcastle where the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron are all featuring in the team.
    But Trippier does not consider any of those to be the best player he has played alongside.
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    Dembele is incredibly well-respected among those he played alongsideCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    Instead, the England full-back has stated that former Belgian midfielder Mousa Dembele is at the top of that list.
    Speaking to fans on social media, he said: “The best player I’ve ever played with has got to be Mousa Dembele when I was at Tottenham.
    “The guy was an absolute magician with the ball. I haven’t seen anyone like him before, so I’ve got to say him.”
    Dembele spent seven years at Tottenham between 2012 and 2019.
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    Trippier then joined the club in 2015 and enjoyed three-and-a-half seasons alongside the ex-Fulham midfielder.
    And Trippier is not the first person to praise Dembele for being a world class talent.
    The Belgian, who retired from football last year, was once compared to Ronaldinho and Diego Maradona by former Spurs coach Mauricio Pochettino.
    Speaking in 2017, Poch said: “He has started to work very hard, we are very happy with him.
    “I always say, ‘Mousa, when I write my book I will say you are one of the genius players I have been lucky to meet’.
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    “They are Maradona, Ronaldinho, Jay-Jay Okocha, Ivan de la Pena and Mousa Dembele.
    “We’ve always told him that if we had taken him at 18 or 19 years old, he would have become one of the best players in the world.” More

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    How Mo Salah became the world’s most feared forward by sticking to a strict diet and strenuous exercise plan

    MOHAMED SALAH has become one of the most feared forwards on the planet.The Egypt hotshot, 31, has scored a staggering 187 goals for Liverpool in 307 games, and got off the ground this season by netting against Bournemouth last weekend.
    Liverpool star Mo Salah follows a strict diet
    Salah is seen as a key man in Jurgen Klopp’s machine, as they chase a Champions League spot.
    Which is why the Reds are refusing to entertain advances from Saudi Arabia, as Al-Ittihad prepare to make him the world’s highest paid player.
    The ex-Chelsea forward has achieved greatness thanks to a strict diet and rigorous exercise plan, including 3am workouts during Ramadan.
    It’s that sacrifice that has seen Salah emulate Cristiano Ronaldo as one of football’s most chiselled stars.
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    Here’s how he did it.
    What Salah puts in his body daily is crucial to his success, although he allows himself a cheat day with pizza every so often.
    Speaking about his diet, the Egyptian told CNN, “Nutrition is so important, it’s part of the game.
    “It has helped with my recovery, allowed me to sleep better and helped my body adapt quickly.
    “My nutritionist says that because I don’t have any fat on my body, I can eat what I want. I also don’t drink so it’s fine.”
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    And it’s fair to say, the devout Muslim is usually very careful with his food.
    For breakfast, he will eat parathas – a puffy flatbread – with a glass of milk.
    If he’s still hungry, he will then go for a bowl of fruit.
    When it comes to lunch, Salah tends to load up on more calories. He enjoys lentils, vegetables, bread, chicken, and will finish with a bowl of yogurt.
    His favourite dish is an Egyptian speciality called kushari, which is made from rice, macaroni and lentils and topped with spiced tomatoes, chickpeas and onions.
    He revealed: “When I go back to Egypt, I call my friend from the airport to buy kushari for us to eat in the car.
    “I pull my hoodie over my head, jump into the car and then I’m eating it straight away.”
    Dinner is usually a light affair – with soup, salad and vegetables preferred. He’ll wash that down with a glass of fresh fruit juice without sugar.
    Salah’s dedication to his craft is shown by his obsession with working out.
    If he’s not training with the Reds, he’s doing additional sessions of weight training, bodyweight work, plyometrics, yoga, swimming and stretching exercises.
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    Light meals and plenty of vegetables are key to Salah’s success
    Egyptian speciality kushari is one of Salah’s favourite meals
    Pizza is Salah’s guilty pleasure
    “Normally, I get up early to go for training which starts either in the morning or in the afternoon,” Salah told ON Ent.
    “Then I come for recovery for almost two hours. Therapy for any injuries or specific massage so you mitigate any suffering of your body.
    “After that, I go to the gym here at the club which is optional for players. After training, I do stretching and recovery again.
    “Finally, I go to the pool at the club or with Makka [his daughter] at home. I finish all these activities around 7 or 8pm.”
    During Ramadan, Salah made sure he didn’t miss a single minute to sculpt his abs.
    He was up at 3am after fasting during daylight hours to hit the weights in his home gym.
    When Salah was at Chelsea, he cut a skinny figure.
    Even when he found his form on loan at Fiorentina before securing a move to Roma, he was certainly less defined.
    However, thanks to following a diet plan and exercising religiously, he has seen a remarkable body transformation.
    Today’s Salah is bursting out of his Liverpool shirt with bulging biceps and shredded abs.
    Often, he’s not afraid to show off his torso on Instagram to his adoring fans.
    And even his team-mates can’t help but take pictures of his incredible physique.
    Scotland international Andy Robertson shared a snap of Salah topless in a swimming pool back in 2021.
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    Hilariously, he joked that his pal had a ‘bit of body fat to lose’ in the photo.
    If that’s the case, then SunSport better jump on an exercise bike lively.
    Home workouts are very important to Salah
    Strenuous weight training is key to building up Salah’s biceps
    Additionally, Salah likes to swim in his spare time
    At Chelsea, Salah cut a slight figure
    When on loan to Fiorentina in 2015 he was far from the perfect athleteCredit: Rex
    Today, Salah is more ripped than everCredit: Reuters More

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    Mike Dean reveals ‘pathetic’ reason he refused to send Anthony Taylor to check VAR as he admits ‘really bad call’

    FORMER Premier League VAR Mike Dean has admitted he did not send Anthony Taylor to the monitor when Cristian Romero pulled Marc Cucurella’s hair because the official is his “mate”.Dean, 55, retired from all forms of officiating at the end of last season.
    Mike Dean has admitted to a major error while working as a VARCredit: Getty
    Dean admits he should have sent Anthony Taylor, above, to the monitorCredit: Getty
    But at the start of his final campaign, he was involved in a controversial decision while working as the VAR for Spurs’ trip to Chelsea.
    Tottenham salvaged a 2-2 draw thanks to a dramatic stoppage-time header from Harry Kane.
    Moments before the equaliser, Spurs defender Romero pulled the hair of Chelsea’s Cucurella and should have been sent off.
    However, ref Taylor did not spot an infringement and failed to even book the Argentine.
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    Dean came in for criticism because he did not urge Taylor to have a look at the incident on the pitchside monitor.
    Now he has revealed why he made that call.
    Speaking on Up Front with Simon Jordan, he said: “I missed the stupid hair pull at Chelsea versus Tottenham which was pathetic from my point of view.
    “It’s one of them where if I had my time again, what would I do? I’d send Anthony [Taylor] to the screen.
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    Cristiano Romero got away with yanking Marc Cucurella’s hairCredit: Reuters
    “I think I knew if I did send him to the screen… he’s cautioned both managers, he’s had a hell of a game, it’s been such a tough game end to end.
    “I said to Anthony afterwards: ‘I just didn’t want to send you to the screen after what has gone on in the game’.
    “I didn’t want to send him up because he is a mate as well as a referee and I think I didn’t want to send him up because I didn’t want any more grief than he already had.
    “Anthony, he is big and bald and ugly enough to know if he is going to the screen he is going to the screen for a reason. If someone pulls their hair now it’s dead easy. It’s just a brainwave by me, a really bad call by me, and it kind of affected me as VAR going forward.”
    Dean was a Premier League referee for 22 years, before he spent one season in the VAR room.
    From the start of the 2023/24 campaign, he has been Sky Sports’ referee analyst on Soccer Saturday. More

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    Al-Ittihad ‘confident’ of sealing Salah transfer with Saudis offering Liverpool star higher wages than Cristiano Ronaldo

    SAUDI side Al-Ittihad are “increasingly confident” of signing Liverpool superstar Mo Salah this summer, according to reports.And if the deal is agreed, Salah will become the highest paid star in world football – with a salary that surpasses that of Cristiano Ronaldo.
    Saudi Arabia are confident they can secure the services of Mohamed Salah this seasonCredit: Alamy
    Al-Ittihad are reportedly ready to offer the Egyptian winger a deal that would eclipse the £173million salary of Ronaldo at Al-Nassr and pay Liverpool £86m – a Saudi record – for his services.
    At present, Ronaldo – the pioneer and poster boy for the Saudi league – is the highest paid athlete in the world.
    The ex-Manchester United striker’s deal is worth a staggering £3.4m-per-week, which he penned until June 2025.
    And current Ballon d’Or holder Karim Benzema earns an astonishing £3.3m-per- week.

    Neymar signed a deal that sees him earn £2.5m a week with Al-Hilal, who paid an initial £77.6m to sign the playmaker from PSG.
    But if Salah does make the move to the Gulf nation – he will earn more than all of the aforementioned names.
    Salah, 31, has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia for the last few weeks.
    And now The Athletic’s David Ornstein has reported that Al-Ittihad have a concrete interest in signing him from Liverpool.
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    Liverpool have no plans to sell their forward, who remains central to their plans this season, while his agent has insisted he’s committed to Anfield.
    However, on Thursday morning, it was reported that Salah could be leaning towards changing his mind.
    According to Saudi website Arriyadiyah, the winger is now considering the offer very seriously.
    Al-Ittihad representatives have allegedly met with Salah’s representatives to discuss the deal.
    As such, the Saudi club are increasingly confident of signing him before the summer transfer window shuts on September 20.
    But they are facing a race against time as the Premier League transfer window is due to shut in less than a week’s time.
    If Liverpool end up accepting it, it will break the Saudi record and make the Egyptian the most expensive player in the league’s history.
    Journalist Rudy Galetti wrote: “Al Ittihad won’t give up for Salah: the club sent a huge offer to convince especially Klopp – who rejected the idea of his farewell so far – to let him go”.
    Salah only signed a new three-year contract last summer, which made him the highest-paid player in Liverpool’s history on around £350,000 per week.
    The Reds have already lost Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabia.
    But Salah would represent the biggest coup of the three- given that the forward is still at the peak of his powers.
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    The clubs have not entered into any formal talks, but the Saudi side is confident that he could be lured by the prospect of playing in a Muslim country.
    The talented talisman has scored 187 goals for the Reds, while helping his side to a Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Community Shield and the FIFA Club World Cup.
    The deal would see Salah become the highest paid footballer on the planet – surpassing the wages of RonaldoCredit: Getty More