Is he just a waste of oxygen? He's been taken back to hospital having suffered a relapse, I'm all for second chances, but this fella has had far too many and he's on a path to self destruction.
He's ill. "You wouldn't ask why someone got cancer or diabetes or asthma like it was their fault. You wouldn't say: 'What have you got to get cancerous about?' Those 'nothing to get depressed about' people don't understand that it's an illness. Some people get mentally ill and some don't - just as with a physical illness. If you're coughing up blood, break your leg or have a raging temperature, it is obvious what you have to do. But if you suddenly have these overwhelming feelings of nothingness, deadness and sadness, who do you speak to?" Steven Fry. recently.
He was a legend, but now he's just an irritating **** IMHO. How much is he costing the health services, and then just repeatedly falling off the wagon. After all the money he's squandered he hasn't got a pot to piss in and he'll likely be dead before he's 50. Despite attending some of the best rehab clinics in the country.
He's an alcoholic. There's a difference. He's doing it to himself. Most cancer sufferers don't get that choice. My Mum died suddenly 2 weeks ago - she didn't get that choice. Forgive me if I have zero sympathy for someone who keeps getting chance after chance and throwing it back at people.
Probably through the fact he admitted that he nearly killed himself through depression a few years ago. And the fact he also has bipolar disorder.
he is, i'm not sure i can feel sorry for him.. he's had 100x more chances and opportunites than the average alcoholic.. it's a shame but what can you do
As well as a drug addict. He also suffers with bulimia, bipolar disorder, depression & OCD. You don't get sectioned three times because you're solely an alcoholc. He's ill, the alcoholism is part of his illness.
To a degree, then it's confusing where the illness and the excuses can be separated, and separated they must be. Gazza is not a great example, he manipulates good intentions and enjoys being a 'character'. Be sympathetic, it's a good way to be, but he needs dealing with properly, just like all of the other alcoholics. Redknapp says he can be involved with his youth team - really???
He had an addictive and depressive personality before he became a footballer. Bad things happened to him in childhood. I know people who knew him at school and he was a nutcase. He's not the brightest button. He's been badly advised. Friends and family have let him down. Bad things have happened to him. He has done bad things. There will be other contributory factors which I'm sure people can think of. The end result is the same. Here he is a hopeless, broken addict who no one seems able to help. Yet he remains the greatest English footballer I've ever seen. How can you have anything other than sorrow and pain in your hearts for the bloke? One time he won't make it through you know.
The alcoholism is only part of his illness. Would you give up on a cancer patient because it keeps coming back? Would you ask "how many chances do they want"? He needs treatment, unfortunately the nature of his illness can determine whether he makes the right choices about the treatments. EDIT: Redknapp was defending Mackay today & came out with the line "nobody is suffering like him & his family right now". I wouldn't give HR the time of day or the steam off my piss. (sorry for being crass)
