JOHN O’SHEA is refusing to let his “incredible” ride with the Republic of Ireland cloud his judgment as acting boss.

O’Shea was a youth star for his country, winning 118 senior caps before his last game in 2018.

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The ex-Manchester United defender, 42, has stepped up his role as assistant to Stephen Kenny, who left in November after failing to qualify for Euro 2024.

O’Shea will officiate today’s friendly against Belgium and Tuesday’s match against Switzerland.

He said: “It is an incredible honor to represent Ireland under 15s and captain your country.

“It’s great to be a manager now and I’m very proud of it.

“When you get the players together to chat for the first time it sets the tone and I’ve kept it very simple in terms of the staff I’ve brought in.

“I will then look at those connections, but also at the lessons from the two games and how we are progressing.

“I just want to concentrate on the staff, myself and the players.”

O’Shea named Southampton defender Ryan Manning in his squad on Friday after recovering from injury.

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However, O’Shea is forced to battle with withdrawals Troy Parrott and Liam Scales.

Sammie Szmodics, the Championship‘s top scorer with 21 goals for Blackburn, is set to make his Republic of Ireland debut.

Lyon defender Jake O’Brien and Middlesbrough midfielder Finn Azaz could also receive their international bows from O’Shea.

A major fashion retailer will close another store this spring as a result of the latest blow to the shopping streets.

TK Maxx confirmed it is closing a city center store after shoppers questioned why the store abruptly stopped trading weeks ago.

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The popular store has more than 350 branches throughout the country, more than 80 percent of which are in England.

But it has now announced it will close its Solihull store, located in the city’s Mell Square.

TK Maxx has decided to end the lease on the local store following a temporary closure for maintenance, a Solihull Council spokesperson said.

Initially, the store chain offered no explanation for the ‘temporary’ closure in the week of February 12.

The baskets remained piled up inside, with reports of product recalls and entire racks of clothing, leaving customers confused by the sudden closure.

After weeks of silence, local shoppers were disappointed by the measure and took their frustrations to social media.

A former employee wrote: “I’m devastated to hear the store has closed.

“I worked there for just over seven and a half years and made many friends with the staff.

“One of the best places I’ve worked. It definitely won’t be the same without it.”

Another person commented: “What a shame!!! I loved that store! The Solihull branch was different from other branches.

“I will miss it immensely! I hope a decent store will follow what we all need and not a bank, restaurant or furniture store!!! Mini Primark maybe?”

But despite the branch closures, TK Maxx, along with sister store Homesense, will continue to trade from their larger Shirley store in the Sears retail park in Solihull.

A spokesperson for TK Maxx confirmed the news to The Sun: “This year, TK Maxx is proud to celebrate 30 years on the British High Street and we continue to invest in communities across the country through new store openings, relocations and modernization of our existing store. network.

“Occasionally we have to make the difficult decision to close a retail location when its lease expires, as is the case with the TK Maxx Mell Square store in Solihull.

“If we close a store, we aim to offer all our employees positions in nearby Homesense or TK Maxx stores.

“We thank our loyal Mell Square customers who can still enjoy big-brand bargains at our TK Maxx at Sears Retail Park and also find more stores or shop online at tkmaxx.com.”

CRISIS ON THE HIGH STREET

Retailers have been feeling the pressure since the pandemic, as shoppers cut back on spending due to the rising cost of living.

High energy costs and the move to online shopping after the pandemic are also taking their toll, with many high street stores struggling to continue.

The high street has seen a slew of closures in the past year, with more to come.

The number of jobs lost in UK retail fell last year, but 120,000 people still lost their jobs, figures show.

Figures from the Center for Retail Research show that 10,494 stores will have closed for the last time in 2023 and 119,405 jobs will have been lost in the sector.

It was fewer stores than had been lost in recent years, and a decrease from the 151,641 jobs lost in 2022.

The centre’s director, Professor Joshua Bamfield, said the improvement is “less bad” than good.

While some big names on the high street were lost, including Wilko, many major companies had already gone bankrupt before 2022, the center said, such as Topshop owner Arcadia, Jessops and Debenhams.

“The cost of living crisis, inflation and rise in interest rates have prompted many consumers to tighten their belts, causing retail spending to fall,” said Prof Bamfield.

“Retailers themselves have faced rising energy and occupancy costs, staff shortages and declining demand, making rebuilding profits after extensive store closures during the pandemic exceptionally difficult.”

Besides Wilko, which employed around 12,000 people when it went bust, the biggest failures of 2023 include UK Flooring Direct, Planet Organic and Tile Giant.

The Center for Retail Research said most stores were closed as companies tried to reorganize and cut costs rather than face bankruptcy.

However, experts have warned that more bankruptcies are likely this year as consumers tighten their belts and borrowing costs for businesses soar.

According to official figures, about 14% of bankruptcies last year occurred in retail businesses.

GARETH SOUTHGATE has broken his silence on speculation linking him with Manchester United.

The England boss, 53, has been mooted as a potential successor to Erik ten Hag should the Red Devils boss get the chance this summer.

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When asked about a possible move to Old Trafford, Southgate insisted his focus is solely on Euro 2024.

He said: ‘I’m definitely not going to talk to anyone else.

“I’ve never done that, I’ve been working for eight years and would never enjoy talking to anyone else while I have a job, so I don’t know if that answers your question.

“My focus is on the European Championships. If we had signed a contract here before, everyone would say: ‘Why are you signing a contract before the European Championship where you have to prove yourself?

“From my point of view there are two things. First of all, I’m the manager of England and I really only have one job: to try to deliver a European Championship.

“Obviously I have two important games this week.

“And the second thing is that Manchester United has a manager.

“I always find it completely disrespectful when there is speculation about a possible manager.

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“I am chairman of the LMA, so I don’t have time for that kind of thing.”

According to Air sportsMan Utd have not yet made a decision on Ten Hag’s future.

They add that the Red Devils continue to make plans for next season with the Dutchman at the helm.

Manchester City defender John Stones was asked whether he would prefer Southgate to stay in England rather than move to rivals Manchester United.

Stones said: “Personally I want him here, but it would be disrespectful to talk to a manager about a team if, in my view, it comes out of nowhere.”

The nation’s largest energy providers are ranked from best to worst for customer satisfaction.

Consumer Champion Which one? energy companies are rated on customer service and whether they provide quick and effective solutions to customer problems.

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New analysis from the Consumer Champion shows that Scottish Power, Ovo Energy and British Gas were the worst offenders.

Afterwards of this. Which? calls on the three suppliers to urgently improve their customer service.

Over the past six months, thousands of consumers have contacted Which? to share their experiences of poor customer service in sectors such as energy, financial services, telecoms and travel since the end of the pandemic.

According to Which?’s customer service survey from 2023, energy is currently the worst performing sector in terms of customer service.

In Which?’s customer service survey of 2023, a quarter (25%) said they were dissatisfied with their most recent customer service experience with their energy supplier, the highest score in the energy, financial services, retail and telecoms sectors.

Where is your energy company located?

Scottish Power finished bottom, receiving a satisfaction score of -13 out of a possible +100 for how long it took to get in touch with a person who could help, and three for how long it took to get a response to a problem or question.

One customer said that after being put on hold when he tried to call his supplier about a billing issue and then speaking to an agent who couldn’t help, he had sleepless nights and anxiety about his unresolved billing issue.

Another said he feared a visit from bailiffs after Scottish Power passed him from agent to agent and failed to resolve an incorrect bill.

Ovo Energy followed closely behind with a satisfaction score of -7 for how long it took to get in touch with a person who could help and seven for how long it took to get an answer to a problem or question.

One customer told how he decided to switch providers after Ovo staff were “rude” and unhelpful after waiting more than 20 minutes to speak to them about a billing issue.

Another customer who was incorrectly billed for gas delivery said: “Customer service is absolutely useless.

“It takes forever to get through on the phone, and then you can spend up to an hour talking to a customer service advisor.

“They work according to a script. If the issue is complicated, it will never fit into the script.”

British Gas fared better with a satisfaction score of 16 for how long it took to get in touch with a person who could help and 23 for how long it took to get an answer to a problem or question.

But a British Gas customer told how she spent 43 hours on the phone and sent 24 emails for more than a year to resolve a billing problem.

However, the scores were still well below Octopus Energy, which performed best in fast and effective customer service – with a satisfaction score of 46 for how long it took to get in touch with a person who could help and 55 for how long it took to get an answer to a problem or question.

E.ON Next also performed relatively well, with a score of 35 for how long it took to get in touch and 25 for how long it took to get a question answered.

Which? says the findings highlight how dramatically customer service quality can vary between individual companies.

What have the energy suppliers said?

ScottishPower said it “did not acknowledge the results of this small sample survey” and said it conflicted with a larger survey previously carried out by Citizens Advice.

OVO said the findings are “not representative of the typical service levels that our teams work very hard to achieve”.

British Gas said: “We are investing more than £50 million in customer service – this includes hiring an additional 700 UK contact center agents at the end of last year and introducing longer call center opening hours.

“We are also helping our most vulnerable customers through our sector-leading £140 million customer support package.”

How can I complain about my energy supplier?

Like financial service providers, energy companies must have a complaints procedure that customers can follow.

When you file a complaint, make sure you follow up so they have the information they need to resolve the issue.

Simply explain what the problem is and what you want your supplier to do about it.

Check your energy supplier’s website for an explanation of how you can file a complaint.

Energy suppliers have eight weeks to respond and reach a decision.

If this is not the case or you are not satisfied with the answer, you can take the company to the Energy Ombudsman.

The Energy Ombudsman may be able to help you if you have a complaint about an energy or communications provider.

Before you can file your complaint with them, you must have filed a formal complaint with your provider and worked with the company to resolve it.

In addition, you must have received a so-called impasse letter, in which the provider forwards your complaint to the Energy Ombudsman.

Even if you have not received a satisfactory solution to your problem within eight weeks, you can file a complaint.

The Energy Ombudsman then bases his decision on the evidence that you and the company provide.

If you decide to accept the decision, your supplier has 28 days to comply.

The Ombudsman’s rulings are binding on the energy company.

If your supplier refuses to follow the instructions, the Ombudsman can contact Ofgem to resolve the situation. However, there is no set time frame for escalating issues to the regulator and it is not up to the customer.

If an individual chooses not to accept the Ombudsman’s final decision, he or she loses the right to the solution offer.

Customers still have the right to submit their complaint to the judge.

But remember that this can be a costly and lengthy exercise, so it’s worth thinking carefully before taking this step.

LOTTO winners who had to wait to collect their cash payouts have now been paid – thanks to The Sun.

Graham Crerar, 64, was sent a check for £800 – after weeks of problems – after we contacted new operator Allwyn.

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Carpenter Graham is thrilled after spending five weeks chasing his prize for hitting three numbers on February 7.

The Scot, from Notting Hill, west London, said: ‘I got my check in the post a few days after your story – and went straight to the bank. Thank you for The Sun’s help in this.”

Hot Picks winner Peter Wilson was also contacted by Lotto bosses following our story.

Bosses apologized to Peter, who had to wait six weeks for his £800 from January 31.

The retired sales manager, 70, from Nuneaton, Warks, said: “They’re sending me a cheque. We may still be waiting without your intervention.”

Paul Simpson, 69, from Leicester, had a check bounced. He has also been paid.

Allwyn, who took over from Camelot, apologized and said the delays were due to the Post Office stopping paying out prizes over £500.

It added: “Anyone affected will receive their prize.”

A MAJOR second-hand sales marketplace has seen a huge change in rates, leaving customers thrilled.

Depop is completely eliminating the 10% sales fee for users in the UK.

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Sellers who list items on the platform will get more money in their pockets with every sale starting March 20, as the 10% sales fee for new listings will be eliminated.

This change will be communicated to UK users this week as part of a wider update to the company’s fee structure.

To fund the reduction in fixed fees, Depop is introducing a small marketplace fee for UK buyers from April 15, 2024.

The marketplace fee is a maximum of 5% of the purchase price of the item, plus a flat fee of up to €1, excluding taxes and shipping costs.

The usual Depop payment processing fees still apply.

Kruti Patel Goyal, CEO of Depop, said: “Our mission is to make fashion circular – we want to encourage as many people as possible to choose second-hand over new.

“The Depop community has been championing second-hand and vintage fashion for years and pioneering changes in the fashion industry. As more and more people see resale as an alternative to retail, we want to increase the impact of our growing community by continually finding ways to make it easier to participate in the circular economy.

“This change will ensure that sellers get more money in their pockets with every sale, allowing our existing community – as well as those new to reselling – to list more, sell more and earn more, while contributing to a more circular fashion system.

“More offers mean more choice for UK shoppers at a wider price range; helping them find the items they love, within budget.”

The online marketplace made headlines last October when it dropped PayPal as a payment method on its app, leaving both buyers and sellers furious.

It came when Depop switched to its own payment method: Depop Payments.

PayPal became unavailable on October 23, 2023.

Depop Payments reached all app users in both the UK and US.

How do other online marketplace apps compare?

There are several other online marketplaces to consider if you want to sell your clothes online.

These include Vinted, eBay and Etsy.

Some platforms charge sellers a fee or take a commission that can eat into profits.

On Etsy, you’ll need to factor in a 16 cent listing fee, 6.5% transaction fee, 4% + 20 cent payment processing fee.

You can list up to 1,000 items per month for free on eBay.

You pay a 12.8% commission on what you sell, plus a 30 cent fee.

Facebook Marketplace is an easy way to sell to local buyers using your Facebook account.

Most users are looking for a bargain, so you may not get a high price, but it’s fairly hassle-free and you won’t pay any commissions or advertising fees.

A major lender has cut its mortgage rates after inflation fell more than expected and ahead of a key Bank of England meeting.

NatWest has announced it will reduce mortgage deals by up to 0.24% for those who refinance, and some deals by up to 0.07% from tomorrow.

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The bank will offer a five-year fixed rate remortgage deal for someone with a loan-to-value (LTV) of 90% at 5.30%, down from 5.54%.

Mortgage holders with a Loan-to-Value value of 60% can get a five-year remortgage deal at 4.48%, up from 4.59%.

The LTV is the percentage of the outstanding mortgage compared to the value of the home.

It comes after the latest inflation figures came in lower than expected, fueling expectations that the Bank of England could cut its key interest rate sooner than expected.

The CPI measure of inflation for February was 3.4% – down from 4% in January and the lowest level since September 2021.

Most economists had expected interest rates to be 3.5%.

Inflation is now moving closer to the Bank of England’s 2% target.

Inflation is a measure of how much the prices of everyday goods such as food and clothing, and services such as train tickets and haircuts, are now compared to a year earlier.

A target of 2% has been set for a steadily growing economy.

It comes ahead of tomorrow’s latest interest rate decision.

The Bank is expected to keep its base rate at 5.25% for the fifth time in a row, but the latest drop in inflation could see it fall sooner than expected.

Lenders tend to price their mortgages in anticipation of what the Bank will do in the future, rather than immediately. Hence NatWest’s decision to reduce some mortgage rates.

Rohit Kohli, director of estate agency The Mortgage Stop, said borrowers would see “some light at the end of the tunnel” after NatWest’s decision to cut rates.

Meanwhile, Ben Tadd, director at Lucra Mortgages, said other lenders could follow NatWest’s lead by cutting rates.

He added: “NatWest is the first major bank to take action on the positive inflation figures released this morning.

“We hope this could be the start of a new interest rate war in the mortgage market.”

It comes after a number of lenders cut mortgage rates in January, ahead of the BoE’s rate cuts this year.

But three major lenders, including Halifax and Santander, raised rates earlier this month after months of fluctuating swap rates, which underlie fixed-rate mortgages.

Other brokers were more cautious as NatWest also announced it would also increase rates on some two-year trackers by up to 0.4% tomorrow.

Tracker mortgages are more tied to the BoE base rate, meaning they can rise or fall at any time, unlike fixed interest rates which remain the same for the life of the deal.

Gareth Davies, director at South Coast Mortgage Services, said: “It is intriguing to observe NatWest’s decision to increase the prices of tracker products, especially when they are experiencing strong demand.”

Many homeowners looking to take out a new mortgage have opted for a tracker in anticipation of a drop in fixed mortgage rates this year.

Economists expect inflation is now likely to fall below the Bank of England’s 2% target in April or May, thanks to the upcoming 12% fall in the energy price cap on April 1.

They said this could pave the way for the Bank to start cutting rates in August or possibly as early as June.

How to get the best deal on your mortgage

Finding the best mortgage deal depends entirely on what’s available at the time, but there are ways to get ahead of the competition.

Usually, the larger the deposit, the lower the interest you can get.

If you take out a new mortgage and your loan-to-value ratio has changed, this could also give you access to better rates than before.

A change in your credit score or an increase in your salary can also help you access better rates.

If you have a fixed rate, you could see higher interest rates at the end of the current term, after the BoE increases rates from 2022 until last year.

And if you’re nearing the end of a fixed deal in the next six months, it’s worth contacting your broker now to lock in a rate.

If they drop between now and the end of your deal, you can always apply for a different rate before taking out a new mortgage.

If you leave a fixed deal early, you’ll typically be charged an exit fee, so you’ll want to avoid these additional fees.

But depending on the cost and how much you can save by switching or staying, it may be worth leaving the deal, but compare the costs first.

Use one to find the best deal Mortgage comparison tool to see what’s available.

You can also go to a mortgage broker who can do comparison shopping for you, with most offering free advice to help you secure the best deal for you.

Some brokers charge for advice, so ask them first.

It may cost a few hundred dollars, but it could save you thousands of dollars in total on your mortgage.

You will also need to consider the costs of the mortgage, although some have no costs at all, or you can add these to the cost of the mortgage.

But keep in mind that this means you will pay interest on it and it will be more expensive in the long run.

You can use a mortgage calculator to see how much you can borrow.

Please note that if you decide to take out a new mortgage with a new lender, you will need to pass affordability checks.

It can also check your credit file to see if you have repaid previous debts.

You may also need to provide documents such as utility bills, proof of benefits, your last three months’ pay slips, passports and bank statements.

It is possible to avoid new affordability checks by taking out a new mortgage with your existing lender, provided you do not want to borrow more or extend your term.

Do you have a money problem that needs to be solved? Get in touch by emailing money@the-sun.co.uk.

Moreover, you can join us Sun Money chats and tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories.

ANOTHER major streaming service is introducing ads as part of a shake-up among subscribers.

Paramount+ has announced that it will be rolling out ads in some countries, as well as a new Premium tier.

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In recent years, the big players, including Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video, have all introduced ad-supported subscriptions that haven’t always gone down well with users.

Amazon recently set ads on Prime as default, so you’ll have to pay an extra £3/$3 per month to avoid them.

Meanwhile, Netflix and Disney+ brought cheaper, ad-based tiers with some limitations, such as fewer shows and reduced video quality.

Now Paramount+ wants to do the same, as the US broadcast giant looks to expand its streaming service.

A new basic subscription with ads is coming to Canada in April, followed by Australia in June.

This costs C$6.99 / A$6.99, only about £4 / US$5.

There are currently no plans to roll this out to other countries.

Meanwhile, a new Premium tier is coming to Europe, having already landed in Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico.

Paramount+ Premium offers the added bonus of 4K for the first time and can stream on four different devices simultaneously.

It arrives in France first, followed by Britain and Ireland.

There, Premium costs €10.99, which is around £9/$12 – although the exact price in pounds has yet to be announced.

TO CUT

It follows reports that Paramount Global is laying off about 800 employees (about 3 percent of its workforce) as broadcasters struggle with a decline in advertising revenue.

Other broadcasters are planning similar steps. Channel 4 recently announced it is cutting 200 positions to save money.

ITV, NBC, Disney and Sky are also planning cuts.

“As we launch ‘Basic (with Ads)’ in our international markets, we can also offer our incredible content at an even more competitive price point to ultimately expand our reach and expand our advertising offering to partners,” said Paramount+ International General Manager and Executive Vice President Marco Nobili.

“The ‘Basic’ level allows us to continue to lead the way in value by offering consumers an even more affordable entertainment choice for the whole family.”