Thinking About Gazza

By: Rob | September 18th, 2008

A 41 year old man was arrested this morning due to criminal damage – the 41 year old is believed to be troubled former England man Paul Gascoigne. It is, unfortunatly, just the latest sad turn in a story that seems to be getting no better. Twice last year, Gazza was sectioned under the mental health act, and the former midfielder has suffered throughout his life from bipolar disorder, depression and an on-off battle with alcohol. It is such a shame that a player who gave so much to the game is struggling so badly, and that the game is struggling to give him anything back.

Some will say that Gazza has had his chances, and indeed, he has been given positions of responsibility by the game – he was Kettering Town manager in 2005, untill he left that post. He always struggled with his fame while he was in the game, but he always had the game to fall back on. Now without the sport he so obviously loves, he seems completely lost. I would love to see him coaching kids or something, or be someone’s assistant manager – but the trouble is most of Gazza’s allies are out of the game. Bobby Robson, the former England manager who lovingly described him as “Daft as a brush”, is not looking well, and Terry Venables, another former England manager hasn’t been in a job for quite a while.

He sure did some stupid things. Some like, striking his wife, are pretty unforgivable (even if recent reports suggest she has taken him back), but most were just stupid. Sometimes lovable and stupid, sometimes just stupid. But he would always taint his stupidity with some genius.

One minute he would do something mad like playing the flute in front of the Celtic supporters (in his defence he had no idea what it meant), the next he was scoring a beautiful free kick, or lifting the ball over the keeper to blast one in against Scotland.

He was, without doubt, one of the most talented footballers the game has ever seen. It is a cliché to say he never fulfilled his potential, but he’s still the most gifted player England have had in generations. As a kid growing up there were three footballers everyone wanted to be – One was Eric Cantona, another was Ryan Giggs, and the other was Gazza.

It is then, a pity and a shame that sadness keeps coming from the Gazza story. If someone could give him a chance, or he could find happiness somewhere, it can only be good for the game. Of course, some people will say he’s got all he deserves, but just quiet piece of mind i’m asking for Gazza, a man who entertained us all growing up.

Here is a list of things Gazza did in his playing carrer. See how many make you laugh.
And the inevitable YouTube Links