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      in Boxing

      Evander Holyfield reveals sparring session with Andy Ruiz Jr a decade ago made the boxing legend realise he was too old

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      EVANDER HOLYFIELD revealed a sparring session with a young Andy Ruiz Jr made him realise he was too old to fight.The heavyweight legend, now 60, believes the spar took place in 2009, though Ruiz recalls it happening in 2011, Holyfield’s final year in boxing.
      Evander Holyfield knows the moment he started to feel old
      Holyfield revealed a sparring session with an up and coming Ruiz Jr made him realise he was too old to fight
      Holyfield fought Brian Nielsen when he was 48 years old in 2011.
      But a few rounds with future heavyweight champion Ruiz, who was a couple years into his career, was all he needed to confirm retirement was overdue.
      He told told Pro Boxing Fans: “When I sparred that guy Ruiz and when he was 19-years-old he was able to tag me when I was 46 and I knew then.
      “I don’t pass my age range where it no longer makes sense to get like that by somebody you think you should be able to beat, because experience and all this, but he had speed and I was losing speed.”
      Holyfield made a comeback last year in a bout against Vitor Belfort.
      The two-division world champ was beaten in a first-round TKO.
      He also wanted to fight Mike Tyson again despite both being the other side of 50.
      Most read in boxing
      Ruiz Jr, meanwhile, went on to become world heavyweight champion when he shocked Anthony Joshua in Madison Square Garden.
      He most recently beat Luis Ortiz back in September by knocking him down three times.
      Rumours suggested he could fight Tyson Fury next.
      Holyfield sparred Ruiz towards the end of his heavyweight career
      Evander Holyfield goes through gruelling workout ahead of boxing return More

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      in Soccer

      I loved partying and women.. I wasn’t ready to be footballer, says ex-Real Madrid star Drenthe who’s now a health worker

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      FORMER Real Madrid ace Royston Drenthe has opened up about how his party days put a premature end to his turbulent football career.Drenthe, now 36, burst onto the scene after being named player of the tournament at the 2007 Under-21 Euros, where the Netherlands beat England to win the competition.
      Royston Drenthe joined Real Madrid in 2007Credit: Reuters
      He’s admitted he didn’t focus on football enoughCredit: Instagram
      He says he thought of himself as a GodCredit: Instagram
      He also says he spent too much time partyingCredit: Instagram
      The winger then sealed a “dream” move from Feyenoord to Real that same year for £12million and experienced some initial success alongside the likes of Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo.
      But the former Netherlands international eventually fell down the pecking order and was sent out on loan to Hercules as well as Everton before his departure in 2012.
      And Drenthe, who now plays for Real Murcia, admits his lifestyle got in the way of success at the Santiago Bernabeu.
      The Dutchman added that he wasn’t ready to meet Real’s high demands as a professional as he thought he was “God” and loved to party.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      Drenthe told AS: “I was twenty years old and at the peak of my career.
      He said: “It was my dream to walk into the Real Madrid dressing room, I will never forget that.
      “But you have a life as a footballer and a life as a human being.
      “You can mix that up to a point, but I didn’t see the need to change my lifestyle right away.
      Most read in Football
      “Now I am aware that I didn’t do the right thing, that I made mistakes.
      “I wasn’t ready to be a pro. 
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      “I thought I was God, loved women and to party too much and you can’t combine that with football.
      “I learn something new every time, but what happened, happened.”
      As well as playing for Everton, he also had spells with Reading and Sheffield Wednesday during his storied career.
      He made a total of 65 appearances for Real Madrid.
      Drenthe made eight appearances for Murcia last season, in which he failed to find the back of the net.
      Last month, he revealed a new career as a self-employed healthcare worker in his homeland.
      Read More on The Sun
      ‘My entire family has always been in care,’ he told NOS.
      ‘Aunt Helen is a nurse. My mother and aunt work in healthcare. A few years ago I already thought: “Why don’t I also do training and courses and see what that does to me?”‘
      Drenthe enjoyed initial success with Karim Benzema and Cristiano RonaldoCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Royston Drenthe was sent out on loan to Everton before his Real Madrid exitCredit: Getty More

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      in Soccer

      I scored four against Liverpool in a Premier League match, now I run a coffee shop in Zagreb and play in my son’s band

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      THIS former Premier League star once bagged four goals for Leeds as they beat Liverpool 4-3 in an all-time classic.But he has now left that life behind for a quaint existence as a coffee shop owner in stunning Croatia.
      This former Prem star now resides in stunning CroatiaCredit: Instagram
      North of Zagreb, in the country his parents hail from, is where this top class ex-centre forward now resides.
      And, as someone that never enjoyed the “b****cks” of top-flight football, Mark Viduka wouldn’t have it any other way.
      “I left Australia to sign for Croatia Zagreb aged 19 and fell in love with the lifestyle,” Viduka admitted to the Mail.
      “And we’d always wanted to run a cafe, for fun really, one where everyone was welcome. So here we are.
      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      “Listen, my missus does all the work, I just sit here and drink coffee!”
      It was in November 2000 that an inspired Viduka, scorer of 269 career goals, powered David O’Leary’s side to a thrilling 4-3 triumph over Liverpool.
      His stunning four-goal salvo would go down in folklore… but Viduka himself doesn’t even think he was that good.
      He continued: “I didn’t play that well. Some bad touches, poor hold-up play, that stays in your mind.
      Most read in Football
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      Viduka carries the match ball after his sensational four-goal displayCredit: PA:Press Association
      The Aussie is serenaded by the Elland Road faithfulCredit: PA:Press Association
      “I had four shots that day, scored four goals. How often does that happen?”
      Quizzed what he does with his spare time, when he’s not sipping espressos in his coffee shop, Viduka revealed his musical passion.
      The affable Aussie said: “Other than drink coffee? I play the guitar. My son, Oliver, is a drummer in a band.
      “When one of his mates can’t make it, I jump in. We use our basement. The neighbours aren’t very happy about it! Me and the boys love Arctic Monkeys. The lyrics, man, genius.”
      Viduka’s coffee shop is called Non Plus Ultra, translating as No Higher Point.
      Goran Ivanisevic is among the stars to frequent Non Plus Ultra, and on the Croatian tennis legend, Viduka added: “A good guy.
      “You know what else we have? The manager of UB40 runs a local brewery. We’ve got his beer, it’s lovely.”
      The 47-year-old first became a hit in the UK with his scoring exploits for Celtic, leading to a move to Leeds in 2000.
      Four years later, after 59 goals in 130 top-flight matches for the Elland Road club, he joined Middlesbrough for £4.5m.
      Read More on The Sun
      He helped them to reach the 2006 Uefa Cup final but angered supporters when he left the club as a free agent to join bitter North East rivals Newcastle in 2007.
      Viduka only managed to score seven times in the Premier League for the Magpies during an injury-plagued two-year spell before retiring in 2009.
      Viduka, now 47, also played for Middlesbrough, Celtic and NewcastleCredit: AP:Associated Press More

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      in Soccer

      David James admits smoking 20 cigarettes a day and drinking at bar until 3am when he played for England

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      DAVID JAMES has revealed that he would smoke 20 cigarettes a day when he first joined up with the England squad.The goalkeeper, who would go on to win 53 caps for his country, has opened up about what it was like in the Three Lions camp back in the 1990s.
      David James won 53 caps for EnglandCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      Chatting to his former boss Harry Redknapp on the 76-year-old’s podcast, Jamo said: “Peter Taylor was the first one to take me for a warm up.
      “It was weird: ‘we are going to go out for a warm up.’ He put me through my paces.
      “I thought – ‘hang on a minute. I’m knackered.’ The fact that I smoked 20 fags a day didn’t help.”
      He then continued: “Things change. We used to meet up in the England squad back in the early 90s and the first thing you’d do is meet the whole staff in the bar down at Burnham Beeches.
      Read more England news
      “It was like.. well done this weekend guys. We will be training tomorrow at some point.
      “And you’d be in the bar until two or three o clock in the morning. And that was just standard.
      “You can imagine now. I can’t imagine Gareth Southgate saying come on lads meet you in the bar.”
      James, now 52, also admitted that players in the England set-up back then largely had freedom to do whatever they wanted.
      Jamo won the FA Cup under Redknapp in 2008Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Most read in Football
      He added: “The squad then.. Paul Gascoigne was part of that squad. Wrighty was part of that squad.
      “We used to have The Queen Vic, which was Ince’s room.
      “We’d go in The Queen Vic each night – drink beers – play computer games and smoke fags.
      “Not everyone – but whoever wanted a drink could have a drink and whoever wanted a smoke.
      “It was a communal space. Really, really good.”
      James went on to be selected by his country for three World Cups and a European Championship, as well as winning the FA Cup under Redknapp with Pompey in 2008. More

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      in Soccer

      Adriano sold £1.2m mansion and moved into luxury £10k-a-month hotel room – with Brazil legend taking only his trophies

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      FORMER Brazil forward Adriano checked into a luxury hotel after selling his mansion – leaving everything behind but his medals.He lived in the presidential suite of luxury hotel Grand Hyatt in the upscale neighbourhood of Barra da Tijuca in the city of Rio de Janeiro for some time.
      Ex-Brazil striker Adriano sold his mansionCredit: @adrianoimperador/Golders
      Adriano checked into a luxury hotelCredit: @adrianoimperador/Golders
      The former footballer left everything behind but his medalsCredit: @adrianoimperador/Golders
      According to A Tribuna, the ex-Inter Milan forward paid £10,000 every month in rent after selling his mansion for £1.2million.
      Local media say Adriano left nearly all his belongings behind for the new owners and took with him only a number of sentimental items which included awards from his playing days.
      The 41-year-old won four Serie A titles with Inter and two Campeonato Brasileiro trophies, won at Flamengo and Corinthians.
      But Adriano, who last played professionally for Miami United in 2016, has had a turbulent number of years both on and off the pitch.
      read more football news
      He fell into heavy drinking following the death of his father while he was in Italy and was accused of drug trafficking in 2010, charges which he was cleared of in 2014.
      Following concerns about his health, he was even forced to deny rumours of his death in 2020.
      It is believed the retired footballer invested in a nearby beachside property, following his hotel stay.
      Adriano’s former pad boasts a dining room, swimming pool and full board with gourmet dishes.
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      Adriano enjoyed the good life in the presidential suite of luxury hotel Grand HyattCredit: Royal Hyatt
      The hotel is in the upscale neighbourhood of Barra do Tijuca in the city of Rio de JaneiroCredit: Royal Hyatt
      The ex-Inter Milan forward was believed to have paid £10,000 every month in rentCredit: Royal Hyatt
      Most read in Football
      The once lethal finisher, who won the Copa America in 2004, played alongside stars such as Kaka and Ronaldinho back in the day.
      He scored 27 times in his 48 international caps, last playing for his country in 2010.
      The forward scored 27 times in his 48 international capsCredit: @adrianoimperador/Golders
      Adriano last played for his country in 2010Credit: @adrianoimperador/Golders More

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      in Soccer

      Where Tottenham’s ‘Magnificent Seven’, including Soldado and Paulinho, who were signed with Bale money in 2013, are now

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      IN 2013, Spurs were forced to blow up their squad following the world-record sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid.The Welshman had scored 26 goals in the previous campaign, sweeping the Premier League’s various individual awards ahead of the likes of Luis Suarez and Eden Hazard.
      Spurs recruited the ‘Magnificent Seven’ in the summer of 2013
      Gareth Bale was unveiled at Real Madrid in September 2013Credit: AFP
      But there was a problem – Tottenham missed out on Champions League qualification by a point.
      Daniel Levy was bullish that he could keep his star asset, but Real Madrid turned on their charm offensive and it soon became just a matter of when, not if.
      So Spurs got busy, signing seven new players for more than £100million – as the line went, they’d ‘sold Elvis, and signed The Beatles’.
      But while Bale was off winning Champions League titles with Madrid, Spurs’ new signings were producing contrasting performances.
      read more tottenham news
      So let’s take a look at what became of the ‘Magnificent Seven’.
      ROBERTO SOLDADO – £26m
      Spurs thought that they had secured a prolific goalscorer in SoldadoCredit: Action Images – Reuters
      Soldado, 37, joined Levante from LaLiga rivals GranadaCredit: AFP OR LICENSORS
      Spaniard Soldado was probably the most exciting of the acquisitions, when he arrived from Valencia for £26m, fresh from wowing at the Confederations Cup and banging in 24 goals in LaLiga.
      Despite no lack of trying, his time at White Hart Lane was a disaster, however, as he only managed seven goals in 52 Premier League appearances – with five of them coming from the penalty spot.
      Levy did manage to squeeze £10m out of Villarreal for his services in 2015, and he has since played for Fenerbahce and Granada.
      Most read in Football
      Now 37, he plays for Spanish second division side Levante – where he has 10 goals in 47 games across two seasons.
      PAULINHO – £17m
      The Brazilian struggled to make an impact at SpursCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Paulinho played for Saudi side Al-Ahli after reinventing himself in ChinaCredit: AFP or licensors

      Another that arrived off the back of a stellar Confederations Cup, Spurs fans thought they were getting ‘the Brazilian Frank Lampard’ when Paulinho arrived in N17.
      Initial performances were steady, with a late back-heeled winner at Cardiff prompting pandemonium among the travelling supporters.
      Things went downhill very quickly, however, with Paulinho being red carded in Andre Villas-Boas’ final game in charge, before becoming a nervous wreck barely capable of completing a five-yard pass by the end.
      He was offered a career lifeline by Chinese Super League giants Guangzhou Evergrande, where he became a big star – via a very strange, if not totally unsuccessful year at Barcelona.
      Paulinho, 34, linked up with Saudi side Al-Ahli but signed a deal with Corinthians in 2022.
      VLAD CHIRICHES – £8m
      The Romanian struggled to cut down on his mistakes at TottenhamCredit: Bradley Ormesher – The Sun
      A considerably scarier-looking Chiriches playing for Sassuolo in Serie ACredit: Reuters
      Fans were excited at Chiriches’ arrival, as they thought they’d unearthed a hidden gem from Steaua Bucharest, with a penchant for playing the ball out from the back.
      And while he was very laid back, it often proved to be to the team’s detriment, as his casual style tended to gift opponents easy goals, while leaving fans’ hearts in their mouths.
      Like Soldado and Paulinho, Chiriches lasted two seasons at the Lane, before being shipped off to Napoli.
      The Romanian managed just 48 appearances across four seasons at San Paulo, before joining Sassuolo on loan two years ago – before making it permanent for just shy of £10m.
      Last summer, he was snapped up by Cremonese – and at 33 still plays in Serie A.
      NACER CHADLI – £7m
      Chadli became a useful player in his three years at SpursCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      One of the more successful acquisitions of that summer, Chadli became a popular figure at Spurs despite an underwhelming start.
      The Belgian joined from FC Twente, having scored against Tottenham home and away in the 2010-11 Champions League campaign.
      But it was not until his second season that he really began to shine, scoring 13 goals as Mauricio Pochettino began to transform the club’s fortunes.
      He left for West Brom in 2017, eventually joining Istanbul Basaksehir in 2020, via stints at Monaco and Anderlecht.
      This season, the Turkish team loaned the now 33-year-old to Belgium side KVC Westerlo, who he has scored five goals in 23 games for.
      ETIENNE CAPOUE – £9m
      Etienne Capoue struggled to make a big impact at SpursCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      Capoue helped Villarreal beat Manchester United in the Europa League finalCredit: Getty – Pool
      Neither wildly awful nor outstandingly memorable, Capoue is possibly the most forgettable player of the seven.
      With Sandro having regressed due to knee injuries, Capoue initially seemed to be the perfect foil for Mousa Dembele in his place.
      But the Frenchman fell out of favour despite steady performances, although was hung out to dry following a few awful displays as a makeshift centre-back.
      He lasted one season beyond Pochettino’s arrival in 2014, before joining Watford.
      Capoue made 11 outings in the Championship in the first half of the 2020-21 season, before signing for Villarreal in the January transfer window.
      And his impact was immediate as he helped the Spanish side beat Manchester United in the Europa League final – the club’s first major trophy in their history.
      While he was also crucial in their Champions League run last season to the semi-final.
      CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN – £11m
      Eriksen was a talismanic figure at Tottenham for more than six seasonsCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Eriksen is now starring for Man UtdCredit: Getty
      Without doubt the most successful acquisition of that summer, Christian Eriksen was an outstanding, indispensable member of the squad for six years, before eventually departing for Inter Milan in January 2020.
      A bargain at £11m, the Dane, 31, papered over cracks during Tim Sherwood’s tenure, pulling out a brilliant goal or moment of genius time and time again to dig the team out of trouble.
      He then became vital to Pochettino’s side, so much so that they struggled to adapt whenever he was absent.
      Eriksen admitted his desire to ‘try something new’ after losing the 2019 Champions League final and joined Inter six months later.
      The playmaker helped Inter win the Serie A title last season, but his playing career hung in the balance after he suffered a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020.
      However, he returned to the Premier League last season on a short term deal with Brentford.
      His excellent performances earned Eriksen a move to Man Utd, where he has enjoyed a stellar season this campaign, although injury reduced his appearances to 41 games.
      ERIK LAMELA – £30m
      Lamela joined Spurs just two days before Bale’s move to Madrid was confirmedCredit: Action Images – Reuters
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      Erik Lamela became the last of the ‘Magnificent Seven’ to depart North London for Spain.
      Argentine Lamela, 31, actually had a bizarre start at Spurs, starting just three league matches in his first season before disappearing back to his homeland following a back injury early on in Tim Sherwood’s tenure.
      He returned following his compatriot Pochettino’s arrival, wrestling for a starting berth before sustaining a troublesome hip injury in October 2016 that would keep him out for 13 months.
      Read More on The Sun
      Lamela again recovered and returned to action – chipping in with 255 appearances before joining Sevilla in a swap deal with Bryan Gil heading in the opposite direction.
      His most memorable moment will be his ‘rabona’ strike in the 2-1 defeat against Arsenal, with his strike winning the Premier League Goal of the Season award. More

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      in Soccer

      I played Champions League football for Man Utd in 2003, but now I am a builder and trained plumber

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      ON March 18, 2003 Lee Roche was thrown in at the deep end – handed his Champions League debut against Deportivo La Coruna in a 2-0 defeat.Some five years later, he was left on the football scrapheap and now works on building sites installing cavity wall insulation, and is a trained plumber.
      Former Man Utd youngster Lee Roche made his Champions League debut in 2003Credit: AP:Associated Press
      Today, Roche is a builder and trained plumber

      Now 42, Roche was given a free transfer two months after his bow in Europe’s premier club competition.
      And when a football career petered out after spells at Wrexham, Burnley and Droylsden, the youngster had to come up with a different plan in life with the help of the PFA.
      COMING TO AN END
      At the age of 27, Roche was admittedly fed up of the game.
      He’d bounced from a loan deal at Wrexham to Burnley, then back to Wrexham again.
      read more on Man Utd
      Injuries began to take their toll, and the former England U21 star lost his hunger for playing.
      “I was coming home and not wanting to even watch football on the TV, he told Planet Football.
      After he was released by the Welsh club, he trained with Royal Antwerp and former United youth Warren Joyce.
      But when a move failed to materialise, he signed for non-league Droylsden in 2007.
      Most read in Football
      It was there he started to think about a life after the beautiful game.
      Promising youngster Roche was released by Man Utd in 2003 and after bouncing around at different clubs needed to find a different careerCredit: Getty
      Roche, chatting to PFA member Don Goodman, was helped by the organisation to retrain in a new careerCredit: Twitter @PFA
      With the help of the PFA, Roche now has his own cavity wall insulation business
      The PFA supported the lost talent and helped him retrain in another profession.
      Today, Roche is a qualified plumber and has his own cavity wall insulation business.
      “I have had a few fellow workers on the building sites asking me about United and how have I ended up here,” he revealed.
      “It can get pretty tiresome so I don’t go shouting about that I played for United. I do think young players today should be made to train as something, so they know about the real world.
      “Most of them probably don’t have a plan to fall back on if they don’t make it as a professional.”
      BAPTISM OF FIRE
      Roche made two starts for United, but it was always in scratch sides.
      His debut came in 2001 in a Worthington Cup tie against Arsenal – a 4-0 thrashing in a team that featured mainly reserve players.
      In 2001 Roche appeared for Man Utd for the very first time against Arsenal in a Worthington Cup tieCredit: PA
      Roche, up against Arsenal striker Kanu, couldn’t believe the size of his opponents feetCredit: PA
      “Sylvain Wiltord scored a hat-trick and I remember Kanu being a massive handful – I couldn’t get over the size of his feet,” Roche joked.
      “At one point, he flicked the ball over my head and volleyed it, but it went just over the bar, thankfully, otherwise it would have been one of those goals which would have been shown forever.
      “There was no hairdryer from Sir Alex afterwards because he knew we had been up against it. I took what I could from that game and tried to learn from it.”
      A year later, Roche came on as a sub against Newcastle United in front of a packed house at Old Trafford in a 5-3 win.
      “It was unbelievable, coming on in front of 75,000 fans at Old Trafford,” he said.
      “I did okay, but I remember Sir Alex talking to me afterwards because Alan Shearer had beaten me at the far post to win a header, so he told me to get up first and not let the forwards do that to me.”
      THE BIG LEAGUE
      Roche’s third and final performance for United was in the Champions League.
      Roche made his final appearance for United against Deportivo La Coruna in the Champions LeagueCredit: Getty
      At half-time Roche was hauled off as United lost 2-0 to the LaLiga sideCredit: PA
      He appeared against Deportivo, who at the time were LaLiga challengers to Real Madrid and Barcelona.
      Playing in a back three with Laurent Blanc and John O’Shea, the Red Devils look disjointed in a different formation.
      Roche, himself, was hauled off at half-time with the Premier League giants trailing 1-0 at the break.
      “I was up against (Albert) Luque and thought I had done alright, but I wasn’t going to come off and start arguing with Sir Alex,” he said.
      “Giggsy told me to keep my chin up and that I had not done anything wrong. Sir Alex didn’t tell me why I had been substituted, but I didn’t want to overthink it.”
      ‘NO REGRETS’
      Despite how his football career turned out, Roche is thankful for his time at Manchester United.
      Although he doesn’t have any regrets, there is one thing perhaps he might’ve done different.
      “I don’t have any regrets,” Roche revealed.
      Despite his career not panning out how he had hoped, Roche was no regretsCredit: Rex
      “The only thing I would point out is that I was known at United for being really quiet, so perhaps I should have been more assertive and mingled more with the lads.
      Read More on The Sun
      “I’d be straight off home after training to hang out with my own group of friends. I look back now at team-mates like John (O’Shea) and Darren Fletcher and think I should have been more like them and gone out and socialised.
      “I think it would have gone down better with United.” More

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      Pep Guardiola almost snubbed Manchester City after the Premier League boss demanded a luxury city-centre mansion

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      MANCHESTER CITY almost failed to secure Pep Guardiola as manager after struggling to meet his luxury accommodation demands, a book revealed.Guardiola wrapped up his fifth Premier League title earlier this month after inspiring his City stars to an incredible run of form to overhaul Arsenal.
      The Guardiolas eventually moved to trendy DeansgateCredit: Manchester Evening News
      The Man City manager now lives at the plush City Suites in the city centreCredit: Manchester Evening News
      The City manager can unwind in the private swimming poolCredit: Manchester Evening News
      But the extraordinary spell of success he has might never have happened due to the coach’s specific living requests.
      Guardiola agreed to succeed Manuel Pellegrini in February 2016.
      But Etihad officials were left sweating on whether he may change his mind before the following season.
      In a book entitled Pep’s City: The Making of a Superteam – written by Pol Ballus and Lu Martin – club chiefs were worried the then-Bayern Munich manager would go back on his word.
      Ballus and Martin tell of how Etihad director of football Txiki Begiristain told player liaison manager David Quintana to hold crunch talks in Munich with Guardiola over the situation.
      Begiristain had said ominously: “It seems we’ve got a problem with the German.”
      And in the book, Ballus and Martin confirm: “They did indeed. In Munich, the Guardiola family had lived in a spacious mansion on Sophienstrasse.
      “Pep demanded accommodation of a similar standard in Manchester and the issue was in danger of becoming a deal-breaker.
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      “Quintana and Pep met over a leisurely three-hour lunch in a local Vietnamese restaurant.
      “Lunch was spent discussing key elements of the club’s organisation, infrastructure, players, but the issues around the Guardiolas’ new home remained unsolved.
      “The problem was that Pep was refusing to live anywhere but the city centre and there just wasn’t the right property there to suit him.
      “It didn’t exist. Begiristain could see all his plans going up in smoke. The deal to bring Pep to City was under threat.”
      The in-demand ex-Barcelona manager was assured by Quintana, however: “No worries; if we have to, we’ll build you what you want. It might take a few more months but we’ll make it happen.”
      The Guardiolas eventually moved to a luxurious apartment in the Deansgate City Suites in the centre of Manchester.
      And they were soon joined in the plush building by his first signing Ilkay Gundogan.
      City legend and Sergio Aguero was also tempted in by the true city slicker lifestyle at the time.
      The Argentine swapped his countryside pad to become one of the first residents of the brand new West Tower in the city centre Deansgate development.
      City will be thankful they managed to sort Guardiola’s living arrangements out as the Spaniard has won TEN major trophies to date with the club, including FIVE Premier League titles.
      Guardiola’s men secured their most recent title – winning it for the third year on the bounce – after Arsenal slipped up at Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
      City have won their last 12 Premier League games to eliminate an eight-point gap to the Gunners, who had begun to struggle when the pressure was on.
      Now City will be looking to claim the Champions League for the first time in their history after pummelling Real Madrid to reach the final against AC Milan.
      They could claim the treble that night if they also beat Manchester United in the FA Cup final a week earlier.
      The City manager’s eventual choice of home in Manchester means he can keep himself in shape in the private gymCredit: Manchester Evening News
      The City boss can cook up a feast in the kitchen… or rely on the ground floor restaurant’s top chefCredit: Manchester Evening News
      The building Guardiola lives in is a 16-storey high riseCredit: Manchester Evening News
      Guardiola can chill out in the luxurious living areaCredit: Manchester Evening News
      Each apartment has a plush modern bathroomCredit: Manchester Evening News More