Ex-footballers -What are they doing now?
Sports comments By Tony Matthews
Hundreds, perhaps thousands of football fans are interested in knowing what happened to players they used to watch in action.
Here are details of some former stars who decided on a completely different job after taking off their boots!
■ Gheorghe Popescu, exTottenham and PSV Eindhoven, is now a ‘spy’ - an under cover agent, engaged in espionage work in Romania.
■ Gaizka Mendieta, formerly of Blackburn, Middlesbrough, Barcelona and Valencia, is now a D.J. here in Spain.
■ Georgi Kinkladze, exManchester City, was the sports director of FC Anothosis before taking his current position as a licensed football agent.
■ Neville Southall, the former Everton and Wales goalkeeper, teaches ‘Neets’ (young people not in education) with the Kent County Council.
■ Jody Craddock, a defender with Wolves, is now an exceptionally good artist, and has produced works of portraiture, graffiti and photo realism.
■ Gary Owen, the former Manchester City, WBA, Sheffield Wednesday and England U23 international, owns a commercial supply company, GTC Management (UK) Ltd. with its office in Warrington.
Gary also owns a holiday home here in Spain, at La Zenia and once possessed more Lowrie paintings/drawings than anyone else!
■ Ex-Aston Villa and Manchester United defender Paul McGrath is into singing, having released an album, ‘Going
Back’ in 2011. Unfortunately he’s troubled with alcohol.
■ Ex-Bolton star Gudni Bergsson retuned to his native Iceland after retiring and is now a lawyer.
■ Alessandro Pistone, who starred for Everton, is playing semi-professional poker and also owns a restaurant.
■ Gavin Peacock, ex-Chelsea, QPR and Newcastle striker, is now a pastor in Canada.
■ Mark Ward, a midfielder with Everton, Birmingham and West Ham served an eight-year prison sentence in Walton gaol for his part in drug dealing. Since his release he’s been a van driver and has worked on building sites.
■ Phil Mulryne, once of Manchester United, is training to be a priest.
■ Stuart Ripley, ex-Middlesbrough and Leeds, studied French criminality and law at University and is now a solicitor.