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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Katie Fitzpatrick

'Sometimes I'm sick of it': What it's really like to be a football wife...and mum

Former The Real Housewives of Cheshire star Magali Gorré has lifted the lid on her life as a footballer manager's wife and football mum.

While Magali is living in Cheshire with her sons Quinten, 24, and Aidan, 16, and her dog Lulu, her husband Dean and their eldest son Kenji, 25, are thousands of miles away.

Dean, who is the manager of the Suriname national football team, lives in South America and former Manchester United player Kenji plays for Nacional in the top league in Portugal and internationally for the Dutch Caribbean Island of Curaçao.

And there's a chance father and son could be facing each other this summer in the Gold Cup football tournament for the North, Central American and Caribbean region, as both their teams are in World Cup qualifying campaigns.

It's been five years since Magali left the reality TV show The Real Housewives, and now the cameras are rolling again on a new documentary film about her husband, an ex pro footballer in Holland and the UK, which she and her family will feature in.

The story of his road to success as manager of Suriname will be told in the film The Natio Dream, which Magali hopes will be screened on Netflix and Amazon.

His squad qualified for the Gold Cup for the first time in its 100 year history in 2019 and for reaching the championships Dean was awarded the Honorary Order of the Yellow Star, the highest state decoration of the Republic of Suriname, by the Surinamese President Desi Bouterse.

He also has a street named after him in Rotterdam, the city he grew up in -Dean Gorré-plein.

Magali, who is originally from The Hague in Holland, flew over to Suriname for the celebrations.

She said proudly: "They made history and he was awarded by the president.

"Holland was rooting for him."

Dean and Magali with their sons Quinten and Aidan (Magali Gorre)

Ex Ajax player Dean, who was born in Suriname, a former colony of the Netherlands, started his career in Holland with SVV in 1988.

In the UK he played for Huddersfield Town and Barnsley.

Magali admits its difficult to be apart from her husband, who turned 50 in September.

Magali and Dean on their wedding day (Magali Gorre)

"We used to have breakfast together but now I need an appointment to speak to my husband," she said.

"Sometimes I'm sick of it. My husband is on the other side of the world.

"I've felt for the children and the dog. How can you explain to a dog 'he's coming back'?'

"We've been together since I was 18 years old.

"I've been a football wife, mum and now manager's wife.

"To eat on your own is not nice.

"I really, really respect single mums. It's so hard being without your family."

She added: "I cry sometimes when I'm by myself.

"I used to be woken with a kiss, not with a lick from Lulu."

Magali and Lulu (Magali Gorre)

Magali and Dean met in a nightclub in Rotterdam and have been married 27 years.

Youngest son Aidan plays for Macclesfield youth and Quinten, who at the age of nine was on the books at United along with his big brother Kenji, is now a singer.

In December 2019 Kenji popped the question to entrepreneur Izabella Levey on a romantic trip to Milan for her 24th birthday and they planned to marry in May, but the wedding was postponed because of Covid-19.

Izabella Levey and Kenji Gorre got engaged in Milan (Izabella Levey and Kenji Gorre Instagram)

It's been a year since Magali saw her eldest son and his fiancee in person and months since she could fly out to see Dean, who has just signed a new two year contract with Suriname.

Announcing the news on her Instagram Magali wrote: "@deangorre proud of you.

"I can’t believe it from being a football wife and now a manager's wife. Not always easy but never a dull moment with the family Gorré.

"Work hard , score hard and gosh you made some sacrifices. But you are shining too and you deserve it!

"I believe in you !!! and many more with me. Your team around you, your players, The SVB. And many many more.

"I had so many thoughts and also my worries but I supported you and your dream ... The Natio Dream! It became also my dream and many more with me."

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