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      I played in the Premier League and was an Irish World Cup hero… then I earned a crust with my hit Cornish pasty shop

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      CHRIS MORRIS broke the mould after retiring from football as he went in to work at a Cornish pastry shop.The former Middlesbrough and Celtic star hung up his boots in 1997 after suffering trouble with an ACL injury.
      Chris Morris worked with the FA in Cornwall
      He spent five years at Middlesbrough before retiringCredit: Getty
      His family ran a pastry store in Cornwall
      Many former players go straight into coaching or punditry.
      But Morris had his family’s bakery business in Cornwall.
      The shop was Morris Pasties and had been in his family since it was set up by his father.
      However, Morris revealed in 2017 that the bakery was sold and that he had landed a job with the FA as a county coach developer in Cornwall, his home town.
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      He said: “I thought I’d throw my hat into the ring for the FA job, got interviewed and landed the job as the county coach developer for Cornwall.
      “The family’s Cornish pasty business in Newquay, which is my home town, has changed hands after doing really well. It was a really good business which my dad set up.
      “We’ve sold it on so it was the end of a little era but we did really well.
      “Now I’m concentrating on football. It would be nice if I could do my bit to put Cornish football on the map.
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      “It’s where I’m from, so I feel as though I’m giving something back to my own people. That’s great and I’m really enjoying it.”
      Morris enjoyed a successful career as he was the only ever-present in Celtic’s centenary Double-winning team.
      Morris, now 59, was a key figure as Billy McNeill’s legends won the title AND Scottish Cup in 1988.
      He also went to the 1990 World Cup in Italy with the Republic of Ireland.
      The defender played in every game as the Irish made it to the quarter-finals before being knocked out by Italy.
      On his achievements with Celtic, he said: “I’m very proud of the fact that I was the only ever-present in the centenary squad. There were 55 games and I played in all of them.
      “It’s great to be remembered. Some squads define their own little place in Celtic history. No one will ever match the Lisbon Lions, and rightly so, because what they achieved was absolutely colossal.
      He won the double with Celtic in 1988Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Morris left the club in 1992Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      “But what I find really touching is that one squad which regularly gets a mention is the centenary team.
      “It makes me immensely proud. Not only was I part of a squad that won the Double under Billy, we have our own niche in the history of one of the greatest clubs in the world.
      “Clinching the Double by beating Dundee United in the Cup final has to be my stand-out memory because it was such a joyous occasion.
      “The year I came to Celtic, I’d actually had a tentative enquiry from United when Jim McLean was there and they’d just reached the final of the Uefa Cup.
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      “But I went to Celtic and we went on to prove we were a really good team.
      “Frank McAvennie was the star of the show but we had the likes of Paul McStay, Mick McCarthy, Roy Aitken, Tommy Burns and Andy Walker in our side.” More

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      Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City in Wilfried Gnonto transfer battle with Leeds star available for a bargain

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      WILFRIED GNONTO is at the centre of a transfer battle as Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City eye the Leeds star, reports say.The Italian has enjoyed an impressive debut season at Elland Road, producing a few jaw-dropping moments.
      Wilfried Gnonto in full flight has given defenders much to worry about this seasonCredit: Getty
      Despite his form, Leeds find themselves in one of the Premier League’s most competitive relegation battles ever.
      And whether or not they escape the bottom three could impact on Gnonto’s future at the club.
      Relegation may mean the club could have to sell the 19-year-old winger at a bargain price and there are no end of Premier League clubs interested in him.
      Gazzetta dello Sport report that City, Arsenal and Chelsea are interested in the Italian, who could come up against England in the Euro qualifier tonight.
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      Leeds bought Gnonto for a reported fee of just £4million from FC Zurich last summer and they could now make a tidy profit for him if they do opt to sell.
      Gnonto has two goals and three assists in the league this season, including a very early goal at Old Trafford that left Manchester United stunned.
      The youngster has made early strikes a specialty of his and he managed to also catch Cardiff cold with a belter in the FA Cup back in January.
      Leeds will need Gnonto at his best when the Premier League enters its final stretch next month.
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      Nine clubs are separated by just four points in the desperate scrap for survival.
      Javi Gracia has managed to bag a couple of big results since replacing Jesse Marsh but the Yorkshire club have Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City, Newcastle and Tottenham on the horizon. More

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      ‘Confirms what we all know’ – Fans convinced Arsenal transfer target Declan Rice is off in summer after West Ham tweet

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      FOOTBALL fans have been left convinced that Declan Rice will be on the move this summer.This is after Rice was NOT included in promotional pictures for West Ham’s pre-season tour.
      Declan Rice was left out of West Ham’s pre-season promoCredit: PA
      We are pleased to announce we will travel to Australia in pre-season! 🇦🇺— West Ham United (@WestHam) March 23, 2023

      West Ham announced on Thursday they will be going on tour to Australia to tune up for the next campaign.
      The picture they used to advertise the tour included Lucas Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen and Nayef Aguerd.
      But the noticeable omission of club captain Rice has left fans convinced he will not be at the club in the summer.
      One fan wrote: “Haha admin knows Rice is off and won’t be featuring in the tour 🤣.”
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      A second said: “No Rice also in the promo video or picture already confirms what we all already know. That he won’t be here for that tour.”
      A third typed: “Where’s your captain? Does it mean that he will leave the club in the summer?”
      While a fourth commented: “Without DR,” with another adding: “No Rice then?”
      London clubs Arsenal and Chelsea are two of the most heavily interested parties in a transfer for the England star.
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      It has been reported Rice could be sold for around £80million.
      Arsenal are keen to bolster their midfield, having previously seen two offers for Brighton’s Moises Caicedo rejected.
      Chelsea splashed out an English-record £107m on Enzo Fernandez, but remain keen on bringing their former academy prospect back to Stamford Bridge.
      The Rice omission comes after Tottenham talisman Harry Kane was left out of the clubs own pre-season tour promo amid links to Manchester United. More

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      Wayne Rooney wanted Man Utd to make Mesut Ozil transfer but was BRUTALLY shut down by Sir Alex Ferguson

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      WAYNE ROONEY was shut down by Sir Alex Ferguson after he told him to sign Mesut Ozil.The former Arsenal and Real Madrid midfielder retired from football this week, aged 34.
      Wayne Rooney was keen for Manchester United to sign Mesut Ozil in 2010Credit: Getty
      Sir Alex Ferguson rejected Rooney’s suggestionCredit: Splash
      He got his big move to Los Blancos in 2010 after impressing at the South Africa World Cup with Germany.
      Rooney played against him in the tournament and was keen for Manchester United to sign him.
      He even advised Ferguson to make a move but the Scot was not interested and put Rooney in his place.
      Recalling the story in his autobiography, Fergie wrote: “Wayne said that we should have pursued Mesut Ozil, who had joined Real Madrid from Werder Bremen.
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      “My reply was that it was none of his business who we should have gone for.
      “I told him it was his job to play and perform. My job was to pick the correct teams. And so far I had been getting it right.
      “Well, he was not on our radar at the time. Ozil when at Werder Bremen played wide right, then towards the end of the season played him off the front.
      “He went to South Africa and did very well. But wasn’t on our radar. But I explained to Wayne and we get most of our decisions right.”
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      Ozil eventually got his Premier League moving in 2013, joining Arsenal for £42million.
      He made 254 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 44 goals – he also won the FA Cup on four occasions. More

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      Cristiano Ronaldo claims Saudi Pro League can become the ‘fourth most competitive in the world’ after Al-Nassr transfer

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO has made a big prediction after his move to the Middle East.That’s by claiming the Saudi Pro League will become the “fourth most competitive in the world.”
      Cristiano Ronaldo reckons the Saudi Pro League will be one of the world’s bestCredit: AFP
      Ronaldo, 38, made a shock move to Al-Nassr at the start of the year after leaving Manchester United.
      The Portugal legend was unable to attract interest from other major European clubs.
      And he is now looking to raise the profile of football in Saudi Arabia after nine goals in his first eight league matches.
      Several big names like Luiz Gustavo and Odion Ighalo also ply their trade in the country.
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      While Lionel Messi is reportedly set to be offered a £194-MILLION-A-YEAR deal to head to Riyadh too – likely with Al-Nassr’s big rivals Al-Hilal.
      And Ronaldo is confident the Saudi top flight can soon become one of the best leagues in the world.
      He said: “I think you should look at the (SPL) in a different way.
      “I’m not going to say that the league is a Premier League, that would be a lie.
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      “But it’s a very competitive league that I’m positively surprised by, a very balanced league and good teams.
      “I am sure that in the coming years the league will be the fourth, fifth or sixth most competitive league in the world.”
      In the meantime, Ronaldo is set to break the record for the most capped international player of all time.
      An appearance against Liechtenstein tonight would see him win his 197th cap for Portugal, surpassing Kuwait’s Bader Al-Mutawa.
      Ronaldo is already the top international goalscorer with 118 strikes and admits he always dreamed of breaking the appearance record too.
      Ronnie added: “I like to break records. I have broken lots of records.
      “In addition to being the best scorer ever for national teams, I was also looking to be the international player with the most caps.” More

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      Which Premier League strikers boast the best points-per-game averages in Dream Team this season?

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      THE international break allows Dream Team managers time to pause and take stock of the season.With the FA Cup semi-finals confirmed and the European competitions deep into knockout territory, only a handful of teams boast a busier schedule than those purely focused on Premier League commitments.
      Gaffers should target these additional fixtures but they should also be aware of which players boast high points-per-game averages with the schedule set to level out in April.
      With that in mind, allow us to present the strikers with the best points-per-game ratios in 2022/23…
      8. Darwin Nunez (£5.2m)

      3.9 points-per-game
      125 total points

      Has he actually had a good first season?Credit: GETTY
      The Uruguay international has copped more than his fair share of stick in recent months and, truthfully, most the complaints about his wastefulness in front of goal throughout the first half campaign were justified.
      However, it’s probably fair to say that the 23-year-old was also misunderstood at first – he certainly wasn’t given enough credit for the constant threat he posed.
      Even accounting for a host of squandered chances, Nunez averages a goal or assist every 118.9 minutes for Liverpool to date – that’s good going for a raw player expected to improve over the next year or two.
      The Reds’ defence has been more vulnerable that usual this term but they still pack a punch going forward – only three teams have scored more Premier League goals and they netted 19 in the Champions League as well, before they were eliminated by Real Madrid.
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      Jurgen Klopp’s side face a tough little run after the break (Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal) but once that’s done they play five relegation candidates in their last eight games – Nunez could run amok to finish on a high.
      =6. Evan Ferguson (£3m)

      4 points-per-game
      64 total points

      The future is nowCredit: GETTY
      We waxed lyrical about Brighton’s promising wonderkid in an just article yesterday so we won’t delve too deep into the details again.
      The headline news is that the 18-year-old has blended style and substance in his breakout season having registered ten goal involvements in 16 appearances since he became a first team regular in December.
      The Seagulls play enterprising football that produces plentiful chances and if Ferguson can lock down a starting spot next season, with some European fixtures to pad out his schedule, he could be a smart value-for-money option.
      Keep an eye on his returns next month too.
      =6. Rodrigo (£3.8m)

      4 points-per-game
      96 total points

      Thriving in the relegation dogfight
      An injury setback evidently didn’t cause the Spaniard to lose his goalscoring touch as he provided the final blow of Leeds’ 4-2 win over Wolves at the weekend in just his second substitute appearance since January.
      Given that the 32-year-old has scored 13 goals at a rate of one every 113.2 minutes in 2022/23, Javi Gracia will surely reinstall him in the starting line-up for the next game.
      No self-respecting Dream Team gaffer would put their faith in Leeds’ defence but they’ve scored plenty more goals than all their relegation rivals bar Leicester.
      It’s worth noting that Rodrigo averages more points-per-game than Leandro Trossard (£3.9m), Gabriel Martinelli (£3.6m) and the suspended Aleksandar Mitrovic (£3.8m) this season.
      5. Harry Kane (£7.8m)

      5.3 points-per-game
      205 total points

      Taken for granted
      A massive jump here as we’re introduced to the elite bracket by Tottenham’s all-time top scorer.
      The north London club’s season may have crumbled to pieces in the last month but nobody can accuse Kane of slacking – he’s the Premier League’s second-top scorer with 21 goals at this stage.
      A tried-and-tested Dream Team asset, gaffers now take for granted that the England skipper will trundle along at a rate of five points-per-game despite representing a team who, if anything, are drifting further away from a trophy lift.
      4. Mohamed Salah (£8.7m)

      5.5 points-per-game
      208 total points

      Peerless in the realm of Dream Team across the last six years
      Similarly, Liverpool have been well under par this season but their prolific No11 has plundered a double century of points all the same.
      Salah made hay in Europe while the sun shined (before Real Madrid derailed the gravy train) with eight goals and two assists in eight continental outings.
      A lot of what applied to Nunez is also relevant here although whereas the ex-Benfica forward is a somewhat unpredictable asset, Anfield’s Egyptian King couldn’t be more established – no player has racked up more Dream Team points since Salah’s debut for the Reds six years ago.
      3. Ivan Toney (£6.3m)

      5.7 points-per-game
      155 total points

      Overdue an England debut
      What an effort from Brentford’s main man!
      This suggests that Toney is likely to outscore Kane and Salah at the back end of the campaign now that Spurs and Liverpool have been eliminated from all cup and European competitions.
      That’s assuming all three players maintain their current rate of course, which is far from guaranteed.
      But this stat does highlight the 27-year-old’s pedigree and proves his lofty ranking in last season’s game was no fluke.
      17 goals and five assists in 27 appearances speaks for itself.
      2. Marcus Rashford (£6.7m)

      5.8 points-per-game
      256 total points

      Superhero mode engagedCredit: GETTY
      The Old Trafford hero’s average is hindered by a comparatively pedestrian spell just prior to the World Cup when he mustered 27 points from 11 outings.
      However, having flipped a switch in Qatar, Rashford has been on a tear since, amassing 174 points across the last 13 Game Weeks – incredible!
      Simply put, Manchester United’s No10 is one of the most in-form players of 2023 on a global scale and with Erik ten Hag’s side hunting further honours in the FA Cup and Europa League, Dream Team bosses will be expecting him to finish the campaign as a triple centurion.
      1. Erling Haaland (£9m)

      9.6 points-per-game
      344 total points

      A league of his own
      What you can you? A total outlier, a freak outcome.
      The calendar is about to flip over to April and the Etihad’s resident marksman is averaging a shade under TEN points-per-game- obscene.
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      Rashford’s aforementioned rampage appeared to put some pressure on Haaland’s status as Dream Team’s top dog for a while but the Norwegian poacher responded with eight goals in four days (an effort that resulted in an influx of 61 points) to remind everyone of his supremacy.
      There’s a reason fans and pundits alike were only half-joking when they predicted that Haaland would score 50 goals a season for Pep Guardiola’s side – he’s on 42 with with a possible 18 games still to play if Man City make it to the finals of the FA Cup and Champions League. More

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      Marcus Rashford stalling on new Man Utd contract until after takeover with Glazers enforcing wage cap

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      MARCUS RASHFORD is ready to wait and see what Manchester United’s new owners put on the table before committing to a new contract.The red hot England ace, 25, has only a year of his current deal left at the end of this season.
      Marcus Rashford will wait to sign a new Man Utd contract until after the new owners are revealedCredit: Alamy
      Sir Jim Ratcliffe is one of the big names interested in taking over at Man UtdCredit: PA
      Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani is also considering a £5bn deal
      Current owners The Glazers have been trying to get him on a new one since early in this campaign.
      But with Man Utd trying to impose a salary cap which sees the top earners get no more than between £200,000 to £300,000 a week, negotiations have stalled.
      Rashford has been offered the top figure but since then his stock has soared.
      The biggest names in the game including Barcelona coach Xavi have named him as one of the best forwards in Europe.
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      The 25-year-old is enjoying career best figures of 27 goals in 44 games with plenty of football to be played as United aim for a cup treble and top four Premier League spot this season.
      He understands this could be the biggest contract of his career which is why there has been no rush from the player and his advisors.
      He currently earns £200,000 a week and has been offered that 50 per cent rise to £300,000 in a five-year deal.
      Understandably Rashford’s camp will want to know what the two main prospective new owners Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and Sir Jim Ratcliffe have to offer when they take charge.
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      Marcus Rashford has 14 goals in the league this season

      United are trying to bring in the wage cap to stop the disparity between the highest earners and the rest to create a greater harmony within the camp.
      The club want to get away from the days when Alexis Sanchez for example was racking in £500,000 a week.
      Current top earner David de Gea is on £375,000 a week and he has been told he needs to take a huge cut if he wants to stay at Old Trafford beyond the end of this season when his deal expires.
      Rashford had to pull out of the England squad for the international double header against Italy and Ukraine.
      He is expected to be fit for United’s return to action away to Newcastle on April 2nd. More

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      Premier League star Jonjo Shelvey offered John Legend £50k to sing at his wedding… but was REJECTED

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      PREMIER LEAGUE star Jonjo Shelvey has revealed his incredible offer to get John Legend to sing at his wedding. Jonjo Shelvey, who now plays for Nottingham Forest, got married in 2015 to Daisy Evans.
      Jonjo Shelvey revealed he offered a whopping £50,000 to get John Legend to sing at his weddingCredit: Getty
      American singer Legend rejected the offerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Shelvey married Daisy Evans in 2015Credit: Instagram – Daisy Evans
      And to take it to the next level, Shelvey tried to hire Academy and Bafta award winner Legend for a song.
      However, he revealed his offer of £50,000 was REJECTED.
      Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: “I tried to get John Legend to sing my wedding song.
      “I offered him like 50 grand to sing one song, and he just turned it down.
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      “And I’m thinking ‘come on mate’. 50 grand as well, to sing one song!”
      Fortunately another special guest at the wedding showed up and stole the show.
      Comedian Jimmy Carr arrived was in attendance at the ceremony.
      And he performed a stand-up routine which left the couple and guests in stitches.
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      At the time of the wedding Shelvey was playing for Swansea after failing to secure first team football at Liverpool.
      He later moved to Newcastle in 2016, where he stayed until January when he joined Nottingham Forest. More