A FORMER Manchester United midfielder has opened up on life after swapping football for a career as a priest.
Phil Mulryne, 47, played just five times for the Red Devils after coming through the academy before starring for the likes of Norwich and Cardiff.
Phil Mulryne has revealed how he keeps up with Man Utd despite a stunning career change[/caption]
The midfielder is now a catholic priest after admitting he was bored of the football lifestyle[/caption]
He decided to hang up his boots in 2008.
But in 2017, the 27-cap Northern Irishman went down a stunning new career path by becoming a Catholic priest.
Mulryne had revealed at the time how he had grown “dissatisfied with the whole lifestyle”, where he once earned over £500,000 a year and dated models, including Nicola Chapman.
And he has now opened up about his life’s second coming and how it compares to his old job as a footballer.
He told Belfast Live: “I live in a monastery, so I am more of a monk, really. And it’s not on the surface, but there are a lot of the qualities there.
“They were saying, sacrifice, giving yourself to something greater than you, in the sense that I live in a community of brothers, there are 15 of us in the monastery.
“So there is a sense of dependence on each other, the kind of things that Man United taught me, all these virtues and characteristics that you learn from being here.
“I have a superior in the monastery that I answer to, like a manager, like a gaffer.
“All these things have been great. I had a most wonderful career. It was a dream to come here and play.”
He also revealed how he keeps up with watching Ruben Amorim‘s side – not that there has been much to write home about.
Mulryne, whose full title now is Reverend Father Philip Mulryne, added: “We don’t have TV in the monastery.
“We have a room with a couple of computers, so I watch the three-minute highlights.
“I get all the highlights, so I keep in touch with it.”
Mulryne also revealed how Sir Alex Ferguson had called him while he was in hospital after he suffered a horror leg break a year after joining Norwich.
He previously told the official Norwich website that he had no regrets over the decision, admitting the move to become a priest came after he volunteered at a homeless shelter.
Mulryne explained: “It’s hard to pin down a particular moment.
“I would say it started in my last year at Norwich, not explicitly and I wasn’t thinking about it at that time but I started to get dissatisfied with the whole lifestyle.
“We have a wonderful life as a footballer and I was very privileged, but I found with all the surrounding stuff that eventually there was a kind of emptiness with it.
“I was quite shocked – why am I not happy when I have everything that young men want?
“It started me on a journey towards exploring my faith again, the faith that I had as a young man.
“I took a decision to come home for a year and it was really during that year that everything turned upside down.
“I volunteered at a homeless shelter for a while. I started going back to mass and I started praying again on a regular basis. I just found a real sense of fulfilment with it.
“Football was huge highs and lows and here was something that was giving me a steady sense of contentment…
“My vocation to priesthood and religious life came later in the course of that year – I felt this strong desire for this way of life and I stayed with it for a few months and then got the courage up to explore it and I took the decision and it’s now eight years later.”
Peter Crouch, who played with Mulryne at Norwich, wrote in his book, How to Be an Ex-Footballer, that he believes his giddiness was part of the reason the midfielder ended up becoming a priest.
Crouch said: “Maybe — and this is a possibility I don’t like to entertain — it was hanging out with me in those giddy months that convinced him he needed a fresh direction in his life.”
Man Utd ratings vs Everton
MANCHESTER UNITED fought back from two goals down to draw against Everton at Goodison Park
The Red Devils were slammed as “embarrassing” by Rio Ferdinand after failing 2-0 down in the first half.
But they fought back late on thanks to a stunning Bruno Fernandes free-kick and volley from Manuel Ugarte, who bagged his first goal since his summer arrival from PSG.
Amorim’s men were then lucky to escape a penalty in the final moments after VAR overturned the decision.
SunSport’s Ken Lawrence has given his ratings of the Manchester United team…
Andre Onana – 7
United needed him with his game-head on, and his 93rd-minute stop saved a point.
Noussair Mazraoui 69′ – 4
Looked seriously uncomfortable on the right side of the back three – forced there because of a defensive injury crisis
Harry Maguire – 4
Out-jumped by Doucoure as the midfielder grabbed Everton’s second and was generally all over the place.
Matthijs de Ligt – 4
Nowhere for Beto’s opener, completely missing attempted clearance and got away with a 93rd-minute penalty call.
Diogo Dalot – 5
At least shows willing. Which is more than could be said for some of his team mates at Goodison.
Manuel Ugarte – 7
Spent most of the game stranded in United’s midfield morass but salvation came with a brilliant strike.
Casemiro 62′ – 2
The Brazilian is beginning to look like the world’s oldest 32-year-old —he’s become a genuine irrelevance.
Patrick Dorgu – 6
Made a determined start down the left flank but that enthusiasm was slowly but surely sucked out of him.
Bruno Fernandes – 8
His free kick was genuine class and once he was dropped deeper started controlling the game.
Joshua Zirkzee – 4
At £36.5M you would expect an element of ball control but the Dutchman used as a joint No 10 just looks lost.
Rasmus Hojlund 69′ – 3
Not so much a desperate Dane, more a despairing one although it would help if he had some support.
Subs:
Alejandro Garnacho 62′ – 7
Injected some desperately needed pace and passion.
Leny Yoro 69′ – 6
Should have been on much earlier.
Chido Obi-Martin 69′ – 5
The 17-year-old has a presence for sure.
