Football must share blame for Paul Gascoigne's problems

 

Tony Cascarino

Surviving Gazza, the Channel 4 documentary about Paul Gascoigne, was a frustrating and deeply sad programme. Yes, his life has become a personal tragedy, but so much of it is self-inflicted.

I came away wondering whether if it wasn’t Gazza, once a great footballer, would anybody have any sympathy for him at all? The man portrayed on the programme was not easy to like. If he was a bloke off the street we wouldn’t be feeling sorry for him, we’d be thinking what a disgrace he was.

He didn’t seem to know who his son was when he called his dad on the phone: “It’s Regan”. “Who?” Strange and horrible from the child’s perspective. Perhaps he’s the one we should be feeling for, not a grown man who doesn’t seem to want to help himself. The documentary recounted how he went out of the clinic then straight on tour with a rock band. He’s had so many chances, so many people wanting to help.

He barely seemed conscious of what he was doing. Even without drink he was talking gibberish, acting obsessive-compulsive, wanting everything to “add up to 13”. It was like watching a character from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. In all seriousness, had Channel 4 shown Gascoigne wandering around in a pair of pyjamas, it wouldn’t have seemed at odds with his behaviour. This is a man who is clearly highly mentally unstable.

When we think of other former players who’ve had addiction problems, two names that spring to mind are George Best and Paul McGrath. Gascoigne’s problems are on a totally different level to Best’s, he is a far more unstable character. I roomed with McGrath in our playing days and he never really faced up to the reality that he needed help for his drinking problem, but he wasn’t mentally unstable like Gazza.

I don’t think he knows what he wants and I can’t see how anyone will be able to get him well when he doesn’t seem really serious about helping himself. I’d love to be optimistic about the future of one of the most talented players of the past 20 years but I just can’t see it. I mean, he was hardly in his own programme – I assume because he just wasn’t lucid enough for the makers to show more of him. It was clear that even in Euro ’96 when he was playing for England he was unbalanced, troubled, on the line between sanity and madness.

And football ignored the signs and so the game must take its share of the blame for the way his life has spiralled down and down. I wonder how, with modern-day clubs so interested in the health of their players, the seriousness of his problems was not diagnosed fifteen years ago.

Surely it should have been fully realised early in his playing career that this was not just a joker, not just a guy who sometimes liked a few too many drinks. This was someone with mental problems. But because he was a great player, a national icon, and because football loves lively characters, pranksters and is an environment where you can get away with childish behaviour as long as you’re talented, the game indulged Gazza’s excesses and ignored his problems.

Comments

[Richard]

Fact is, Gazza would have been a wreck whether he made it as a footballer or not. Some people are like that. So no ones to blame really, if a normal person was an alcoholic you wouldn't blame someone would you?!

[Nader Rezaie]

Gazza was my childhood hero and I love him but I think he is beyond help; he has so much wrong with him. I have heard lots of stories of his generosity and kindness and I believe deep down he is a lovely person. Sectioning him will not do any good as he has been getting help for years, he simply does not have the strength much less the will to become a normal person. I try and put myself in his shoes but it’s impossible after all he’s been through, people should remember that before they judge him.

[Anthony Elliott]

I can't believe he has a penny left to his name and hence he's making money in the only way he knows how by selling his pathetic story. He was a great English football player (though undoubtedly there were better players on the global scene) however off the pitch he was always an accident waiting to happen, and now it's happened. Is anyone really surprised? We all knew it was coming and unless he was sectioned earlier it would have been impossible for anyone to get through to him to change his ways. Alcoholics just don't listen.

[SB]

I hope Gazza's plight elicits more understanding for the mentally ill.
That will be one good thing to come out of it. People think you can will your way out of such a predicament but it is not that simple. I rather think that the excesses are symptoms of a wider problem rather than the cause. Is it so un natural to be driven bonkers by the high pressure world we live in today?

[D.Heath]

Cascarino's prose perfectly sums up the 'I"m not to blame' mentality that is so prevalent in British society today. From the goverment down no-one seems to want to take responsibility for their actions. The sooner we all do the better for everyone.

[Allan]

It was not up to "football" talk look out for Gascoigne, but his own manager, his friends and himself. Football can be blamed for many things but this is not one. Besides, it's doubtful whether any help offered to the young Gascoigne would have been either taken up or of any long-term use.

[paul zed]

Nearly all of you are wrong, he was never a truely great footballer like Best,Cruyf, Charlton, Maradona and too many Brazilians to mention.His talents are now being overated so as to exaggerate the comparison in the story.

[Vincent]

Whether we like it or not, exploitation is one of the core offerings of the modern media. Gazza's love for the nightlife is part of the equation, but shouldn't the television station that produced this 'documentary' be looking for something besides its perceived drama or shock value ? All of us love our athletes - bumps, bruises and warts and all. This appears to be nothing but a way to show how you can tear your heroes down rather than helping them. The outpouring of sympathy that is sure to follow may help Paul's future, but hearing those words from his son will forever have him live with the most broken of hearts.

[David Potts]

You are totally right Tony. Surely a good doctor should have setected that he was suffering mental illness-remember all those facial tics and grimaces that he used to make? Some people criticise him for drinking himself into oblivion but he's simply self medicating for his mental illness? It is ipossible to understand what is going on in Paul's mind but surely we must all be sympathetic towards him and hope that the professionals can help hi to save himself?

David, Northants

[David]

Mark: If a teacher develops those kind of problems and the profession does nothing to help, through insurance or companionship or whatever is needed then yes, teaching would be partly to blame.

[Colin]

You cannot blame the man, if he is ill, not can you blame hi s hanger's one that is what they do. Where is his when he needs them. Where is his Mum and Dad, brother's and sister's. They should be protecting and helping him.

[Mark Watson]

"the game indulged Gazza’s excesses and ignored his problems."

Sorry I cannot disagree more, football is a profession with extremely high wages and similar exposure. I am a fellow professional, a Teacher, my work is harder and far more important but with a much smaller wage and it is up to myself to monitor my drinking habits and mental health, if I developed the same problems as Gazza would you say Teaching is partly to blame?

Watching Gazza going off the rails was the ultimate in "car crash" television and I doubt a normal mental health patient elicits the same sympathy nor has the ready cash to check into expensive rehabilition clinics.

Football is the ultimate selfish profession, charity work is a commitment and the general trauma the rest of us live through day to day only becomes highlighted by Football when someone in Football suffers, usually by their own misadventure.

Sorry but I have more sympathy with the man in the street who develops problems and the underpaid Doctors and Nurses that treat him than I did with Gazza, if he wants to drink his millions away rather than doing some good with it then why on earth should I pity the man?

[MORGAN]

Gasgoine always spoke gibberish.

As for being a great player,I think he had his moments,but for me he was very overrated.

Hard to feel too much sympathy for him,there are worthier causes around.

[Keano]

Gazza has a serious mental health illness, beyond alcoholism. I say this in a professional capacity. As a Celtic man, my heart went out to his family, and him. He clearly needs professional help. Don't blame the family for the programme. It was one of the best C4 programmes on how families cope with mental health problems. He might be an English football hero, but he is also a guy who needs a lot of help and treatment. And finally, the 'world of football' has nothing to do with Gazza's problems Tony.

[Brian]

Unfortunately the best thing that could be done for 'Gazza',would be for him to be sectioned.That way he wouldn't be able to walk out of the place of treatment,until fully recovered.The problem is that no matter how much you may want to help someone,you can't,unless they want the help.It is not just a case of doing 12 weeks,or a year in 'rehab'.The fight against the problem is continuous,24/7.The sufferer is the only one who can fight it,sometimes with help but mostly alone. The answer to the question,'is football to blame for Paul Gascoigne's state',is no.Mr. Gascoigne's problems are of his own making.

[hugh jarse]

What exactly does Cascarino mean that "football" has some responsibility? Does he include fans, referees, clubs Gazza never played for? That is nonsense. Maybe Spurs, Lazio and Rangers, maybe their physios, managers and club doctors, maybe his team mates, but not football in general.

[John]

The only person responsible for Gazza's situation is Gazza. Don't go holding football responsible for him. Gazza did it himself. Lineaker didn't go that way and neither did his colleagues. Gazza liked to get drunk regularly. He didn't listen and now he's where he is. Hard luck. He should think about his son but that isn't going to happen is it?!

[Richie Woodcock]

I agree with Tony in the sense that the so-called "Documentary" on Gazza was nothing short of exploitative and even shameful to watch. How on earth can anybody expect to even attempt recovery from Alchoholism as well as dealing with mental heath issues whilst being filmed 24/7??? The very idea was ludicrous, unethical and downright shameful. There was nothing there that was really in the public interest except for the name Gascoigne.

It is fair to say that the people that manage to fight addiction with success to whatever degree do so because they have the desire to improve their lives....They hit rock bottom and want to improve their station. Despite the terrible situations Gazza has found himself in I believe he has yet to hit rock bottom. Whether he will ever manage to find the strength to recover is unlikely in my eyes and I can't help but think he will ultimately go down the same road George Best travelled down. Death.

It's always a shame how often great talent is just the other side of that fine line staring at great tragedy.

[Anthony Bilbo]

Can't help but agree that the family seemed somewhat complicit and living off the whole aura of Gazza, rather than Paul gascoigne. None of them seemed to have jobs or anything to do, happily picking up cheques from his celebrity to stay in their comfortable lifestyle and big house. While he was out having fun, they were all sitting around doing nothing too, so who's better off?

[tony]

Very sad what has happened to Gazza, I really do feel sorry for him. Unfortunately I think he is beyond help now, I am concerned that his ex wife allowed him to be filmed straight after 7 weeks in rehab? Surely them first couple of weeks should have been a very private time for him and his kids to get used to each other again. Looks to me like people making money again out of the Gazza name.

[Peter Coates]

So where are all those who said its just boys stuff, he will grow out of it. Where are all the bludgers he bought cars, hookers and booze for and in exchange they ensured the party continued till he was broke. Fleet street would be my guess.