Paul Gascoigne's agent has told the BBC the former England footballer's life is in danger after he started drinking again. The 45 year old broke down on stage at a charity event on Thursday. Gascoigne has openly admitted to having problems with alcoholism, has spent time in rehab and was sectioned in 2008 under the Mental Health Act. His agent Terry Baker told BBC Radio 5 live: "He won't thank me for saying but he needs to immediately get help." Baker added: "Whatever's happened to him in the five or six weeks since I saw him before Christmas he is not as well as he has been. "He's been absolutely fine, he really has, and now he isn't. But I think he knows that. "His life is always in danger because he is an alcoholic. Maybe no one can save him - I don't know. I really don't know." It would seem our former number 8 is on the sauce again. It's a pity as he was such a talented player. He has been a train wreck for years though. The Raoul Moat thing a couple of years ago was totally bizarre. They say there's a narrow line between genius and madness, I am not saying Gazza's Einstein, but in footballing terms he really was something at one point. I used to find him hysterical up to the point where he broke Cheryl's fingers. I lost all repect for him then. I don't think he has ever recovered mentally from doing that. Poor bloke had the world at his feet and pissed it down the toilet.
No sympathy... A talented footballer who wasted it! A wife beating alcoholic junky - if he wasn't "famous" he'd be in jail.
I remember saying that on the old 606 and got absolute dog's abuse from the Rangers fans. It never ceases to amaze me how people will defend someone just because they have some sort of tenuous link to them, ie. he played for the team they support. No doubt Nev or Medro will come on and say "what about Jimmy Johnstone?" as if that actually means anything.
If Gazza had played for Celtic my opinion would be the same... Gazza wasted his talent. If he wasn't "Gazza" he'd just be another jaikey scumbag !
Sad state of affairs. One of the best players of his generation. To say he wasted his talent is stupid. He played at the top of the game including a WC semi final. The drink is a curse for some people and makes them do stuff they wouldn't otherwise. I wish him well but fear the worst this time. What age is he?
45, did you not read the OP? i feel sorry for him. in my opinion alcoholism is an illness that is very hard to beat. i do agree that he wasted his talent, he was washed up by the time he left rangers, if he had looked after himself he could have carried on for longer. (i know he played for boro and everton but was ****e by the time he got there)
I only ran the eye over the OP. Had seen the story earlier. He played at the top of the game scoring in major Championships for his country. He also done the business at Lazio. He lived the dream but couldn't stop. Like George Best.
Not what I said ... He was a genius with a football, a great player and I was jealous when Rangers signed him, however... he could have contributed a lot more to football if he hadn't been a jaikey bam. I'll remember him, like many I suspect, as a ****ed up jaikey wife beater who tried to take Raul Moat fishing... not as a footballing genius .