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SCMP Reporter

Former England international Steve McMahon said he enjoys his work as a broadcaster although he still misses 'life with the boys' on the field.

The former Liverpool midfielder was speaking from ESPN STAR Sports' headquarters in Singapore. He is now a commentator and analyst for the network's soccer programmes.

'I have one-hour shows on Tuesday and Friday evenings, as well as the English Premier League live broadcast on weekends. I'm basically free most of the week so I have time to do my research,' said the 44-year-old.

'As a commentator and analyst, I can now be objective and say what it is, with my experience as a player and manager.'

Born and raised in Liverpool, McMahon started his career with Everton in the 1980s.

But he only achieved fame after joining  Everton's fierce local rivals Liverpool, where he played a crucial role in the Reds' double-winning side of 1986.

He played alongside Liverpool stars, such as Ian Rush, John Barnes, Peter Beardsley, John Aldridge and Ray Houghton, at the famous Anfield club.

McMahon was a key goal-scoring midfielder as Liverpool  coasted to the 1988 First Division - now Premier League - title.

He also won the first of his 17 caps for England later that year, when Bobby Robson was the manager.

In 1991, McMahon left Liverpool for Manchester City after 276 games which netted him 50 goals.

After hanging up his boots, he embarked on a career in management, starting at Swindon Town. He later moved to Blackpool before taking over as head coach of the Australian side Perth Glory last year.

'The worst part about being a manager is the Saturday afternoon. You've done all the preparation but when it comes to the match on Saturday, there's not much you can do about what happens on the field,' he said.

'If you don't get a result, you will have a miserable week ahead.

'But I still miss the day-to-day training and the life with the boys.'

McMahon also spoke out on reports about gambling among Premier League players.

According to recent tabloid reports, Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney's gambling habits have sparked a rift with his England teammate Michael Owen.

Rooney, 20, was alleged to have accrued gambling debts of GBP700,000 ($9.9 million) with bookmaker Steve Smith, introduced to him and other members of the England squad by Owen.

Other top England players, such as John Terry, Frank Lampard and Rio Ferdinand, were also linked to the betting scandal.

McMahon said there was nothing wrong if professional players wanted to gamble, whether on soccer or horses, as long as they could afford it.

'If they are gambling with money they can't afford, and if they borrow money from the bank for it, then I disagree with it,' he said.

'It [gambling] is a release for them as long as it is controlled within their budget.'



Former player McMahon misses life with the boys