Troubled Ex-England darling, Paul Gascoigne, is looking to get back into coaching with Bournemouth AFC after years of alcoholic and mental torture.
The subject of Paul Gascoigne is one that causes many men to shake their head in disbelief. The manner of such a head shake is similar to that of a father, unable to fathom why his favourite son has trodden a path of such self destruction.
The British public like to remember Gazza as a fun-loving, tit wearing, emotionally loveable, cheeky Geordie genius. But frustratingly, after years of mental illness, well publicised drunken misdemeanours and a barrage of failed rehabilitation attempts those, fond memories are proving harder to keep hold of.
Now Gazza is set to have another crack at straightening his life out, whilst getting back into the game he once loved. Gazza is said to have lined up a role coaching kids at AFC Bournemouth, but needs to get fit first. Gary Lewin, the England squads head physio, is apparently organising a hip replacement to aid Gascoigne’s cause and help him to showcase the skills that once dazzled the world at Italia 90. “When I’m coaching I need to twist and turn properly so I can show the lads some of the amazing things I used to do.”
It won’t be the first time that Gazza has attempted to get into coaching. He spent time in China gaining experience, before signing for Boston United in 2004. His reign there lasted only 11 games, after Gascoigne apparently quit because the club would not let him take part in TV reality show ‘Im a celebrity… get me out of here.’
In 2005 he spent time two months in Portugal the Player Manager of Algarve United; a proposed contract was never forthcoming. Later in the same year he was appointed manager of Conference North club Kettering Town, with plans to invest enough of his money to own one-third of the club. Gazza lasted 39 days after the owners sacked him for drinking on the job. He never had a contract, was not paid, and never did invest any money in the club.
Since those unsuccessful and brief appointments Gazza’s life has continued to spiral out of control. In 2007, after celebrating his 40th birthday, he underwent emergency surgery on a perforated stomach ulcer. In February 2008 he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act after an incident at the Malmaison Hotel in Newcastle. In 2008, whilst in rehab, Gazza claimed that he was revived three times after his heart had stopped.
On 8th February 2010 he was arrested and charged with drink driving. Five months later Gazza was infamously involved in the stand-off between the police and Raoul Moat, claiming to be “mates” with the fugitive, and stating that he had brought him “a can of lager, some chicken, fishing rod, aNewcastle shirt and a dressing gown”. On 8th October, Gazza was arrested for drink driving again, admitting that he had been more than four times over the limit.
His latest set back came two and a half months ago, after apparently going nearly 20 months without a drink. Gazza is reported to have gone on a 19 day Stella, Gin and Valium bender but attempted to defend himself by saying, “Because I hadn’t had a drink for 19 months I was pissed after two cans, so I couldn’t have drunk loads even if I’d wanted to.”
Let’s hope Gazza’s newest attempts to get back on the straight and narrow don’t end in anymore public tears.
image: © rosshawkes
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