Once a Bear, always a Bear

Gazza träumt von Trainer-Job

Als Reaktion auf ein Interview mit Sir Alex Ferguson erzählte Paul Gascoigne jetzt, warum er 1988 nicht zu Manchester United ging. Und wieso das rückblickend ein großer Fehler war.

Ferguson hatte im Gespräch mit “The New Statesman” unter anderem
darüber berichtet, wie enttäuscht er war, als Gazza sein Angebot
ausschlug und lieber zu Tottenham ging.

Paul Gascoigne bezeichnete seine damalige Entscheidung nun in einem
Interview mit Sky News als großen Fehler, “wenn ich damals zu United
gegangen wäre, wäre ich vielleicht immer noch dort”, sagte er.

Ferguson hätte es möglicherweise geschafft, ihn in seinen schlimmsten
Augenblicken zu beschützen und vor der Presse abzuschirmen, sagte Gazza
weiter. Und deswegen habe er sich sechs Jahre später bei Manchester
United gemeldet und um einen Vertrag gebeten, als er sich bei Lazio
nicht wohl fühlte. Ferguson habe damals ausweichend gesagt, dass er
erst die Entscheidung von Eric Cantona abwarten wolle, berichtete
Gascoigne, “man weiß ja, dass man bei Ferguson keine zweite Chance
bekommt”.

Zu seinen Zukunftsplänen sagte der alkoholkranke Ex-Kicker, dass er vor
einigen Monaten ein Angebot von Diego Maradona ausgeschlagen habe, der
gewollt habe, dass er nach Argentinien komme. Es sei ihm damals nicht
gut genug gegangen, um sich auf die Reise nach Südamerika einzulassen,
erklärte Gazza.

Eines Tages wolle er als Trainer arbeiten, und zwar bei Newcastle. Das
gehe aber nicht von heute auf morgen, auch wenn er sich momentan sehr
stark fühle. Der erste und letzte Trainerjob von Gazza bei Kettering
Town hatte nach 39 Tagen mit seinem Rauswurf geendet, weil Gascoigne
laut Vereinsleitung jeden Tag betrunken zur Arbeit erschienen sei.

Paul Gascoigne will Darlington helfen

Ist "Gazzas" Comeback ein Schritt in die richtige Richtung? Der Engländer scheint endlich mit sich ins Gericht zu gehen

Laut der britischen Zeitung "The Guardian" soll Paul Gascoigne für ein
einmaliges Spendenspiel auf den Fussballplatz zurückkehren. Im Spiel
sollen sich die Hauptakteure des Darlington-Teams des Jahres 1999 bis
2000 (Team des damaligen Play-Off-Finals) und ein All-Star-Team des
Nord-Ostens von England gegenüberstehen. Es geht darum, Geld für den
League-Two-Klub Darlington zu sammeln. Darlington ist in einer
finanziellen Krise. Den Engländern wurden im Februar zehn Punkte
abgezogen und der Klub ist nun auf der Suche nach einem neuen Besitzer.

Der 41-jährige Gascoigne bestritt sein letztes
Profi-Spiel im Jahre 2004, hat jedoch, nach Aussagen seines Agenten
Stuart Skinner, das Training bereits begonnen. Zwischen seinem letzten
offiziellen Spiel und dem heutigen Tag hat der Engländer einen
Alkoholentzug und eine Behandlung gegen Bulemie über sich ergehen
lassen müssen. Für kurze Zeit floh der einst so talentierte Fussballer
sogar nach Portugal und schottete sich von seinem kompletten Umfeld ab.
Circa 15 Minuten Spielzeit für "Gazza" sind geplant. Das All-Star-Team
ist gespickt mit grossen Namen wie Gareth Southgate, der jetztige
Manager des FC Middlesbrough, Kevin Ball oder auch Marco Gabbiadini.

[4-4-2]

Gazza to attend London’s biggest ever mental health sports event

Paul Gascoigne is to attend the Positive Mental Attitude London Football League ‘Finale’ at The Valley, Charlton Athletic Football Club, on Friday 8th May2009.

The footballing legend will be turning out in support of the event organized by the award winning Positive Mental Attitude Sports Foundation Trust, a social enterprise that uses sport as a tool to aid the recovery of people living with mental illness.

The ‘Finale’ is a day of football, fundraising and fun which marks the climax of 2008/09 season of London’s only mental health football league - the PMA London Football League. Remaining league matches from the PMA London League’s three divisions will be played out followed by an awards ceremony in which divisional champions will be crowned.

Event organizers are hopeful that Gascoigne’s presence can help swell the numbers in the stand, making the ‘Finale’ the biggest mental health sports event the capital has ever seen.

Janette Hynes MBE, Founder and Chief Executive of the PMA explained: ‘It will be a massive boost to all involved to have Paul Gascoigne come down on the day. He is a footballing icon and a survivor. His bravery and honesty in dealing with his own difficulties can be an inspiration to others and help to challenge the stigma that surrounds mental illness.’

The ‘Finale’ kicks off from 12:00Hrs at The Valley, Charlton A.F.C., Friday 8th May 2009. All our welcome so spread the word and fill the stands!
[givemefootball.com]

EXCLUSIVE - the Gazza interview: On his fears for Newcastle, going to Inter with Jose and being back in love with the game

Some good football news to share from the North East: Paul Gascoigne is alive. Today, he looks healthy and well and is wondering whether to take up Jose Mourinho’s offer of a month under his wing at Inter Milan.

As hard as this may be to imagine, he is writing poetry regularly as a way of understanding his emotions ‘about the birds, the trees, the sound of the wind — anything I find that is beautiful,’ he announces proudly.

A good night out is sitting alone in the cinema (‘I just love popcorn, there is something about it, don’t you think?’), or a ticket for one to the theatre. The most significant change since we last spoke, 18 months ago, is that he is sober and says he hasn’t touched a drop for five months. It’s also important that he is falling back in love with football and that, too, is helping his recovery.

Alan Shearer, his former England team-mate, allows him use of the gym at Newcastle’s training ground, where he also spends time watching his nephew Cameron, an attacking midfielder, emerging through their academy.

In the boom-and-bust world of Gazza, it is entirely possible that tomorrow could be a bad day, though he says: ‘Today was a bad day, so I’ve come to speak to you! I thought I had pig flu this morning, but don’t worry, I’m feeling better
now.’ And then the old smile returns, stretching from ear to ear.

Not so when the subject moves to his beloved club, who have one foot in the Championship. The last time Gazza felt this sore about Newcastle, Vinnie Jones had a strong left hand clamped tightly around his lock, stock and two smoking barrels 21 years ago.

Vinnie Jones, former Wimbledon footballer is pictured in the famous pose when he grabbed Paul Gascoigne's crotch during a Wimbledon v Newcastle match
I remember being physically sick before the game. I’d heard about Vinnie but he looked huge. I was getting the attention from the photographers when he walked up to me and said: "I'm Vinnie Jones and I’m a f****** gypsy. It’s just you and me today, fat boy, just you and me." He
kicked me all over the pitch and even when he went off to take one of his long throws, he whispered menacingly: "I'm off to take a throw-in, but I'll be f****** back!" Then Vinnie stood in front of me waiting for a free-kick; he grabbed me by the b***s and I screamed in agony,
but thought nobody had noticed. Someone took a photograph, they must have made a fortune out of it, as it became one of football’s best-known images.

Newcastle are running out of games in which to reverse a run that has brought one win in 18 league matches and a place in the bottom three, with Liverpool at Anfield to come on Sunday. The Geordie nation is gripped by fear.

‘You see their faces, the people here, they know it’s looking grim,’ he says. ‘They ask me for some good news, something positive. I try, I do. This place must have a Premier League team, the city demands it, but the fans know they are running out of time. It shouldn’t be like this.’

Gazza is remembered differently here, as the boy before life became complicated and dangerous for him. He was the teenager who cleaned Kevin Keegan’s boots, took them home to show his friends and lost one on the bus coming back. He played 92 league games for Newcastle after signing his first professional contract for £25 a week in May 1983, before he was sold to Tottenham for £2million. In today’s market, the same transfer would cost £20m, maybe more.

He has spent the week like the rest of us, watching Champions League football. ‘I make notes, look at games differently, analyse strengths and weaknesses,’ he reports. ‘I could not believe the power of Chelsea the other night, nor how quickly Barcelona moved the ball. But they still couldn’t shake Chelsea.’

Two years ago, he couldn’t watch a match. The modern game ‘sickened him’, with the robots taking over midfield and talent being trampled by the ‘Patrick Vieira clones’.

‘I know now that I couldn’t handle watching it because it reminded me of what I didn’t have. Now I can marvel at Wayne Rooney. He’s the next captain of Manchester United.

There’s nothing that boy cannot do, but he should smile a little more, show us he’s enjoying it like we’re enjoying him. Steven Gerrard is another who needs some help dealing with the pressure of winning matches. Smile, lad, you can really play. I wish I could play with him, help with the load.

‘For different reasons, I like watching Didier Drogba. When you see him playing up alone against four brutes and he’s taking them on — I’m glad I didn’t have to play against him. He’s a beast.

‘I think I’ll take up Jose’s offer, you know. I’ve been in the game longer than him, but he’s 20 years ahead of me with what he knows. You’re right, I’m loving the old game again. It feels good to me.

‘I’d reached the point where I would buy the papers, read the front pages and then throw them away. Now I start at the back pages again. That’s a good sign too, isn’t it?’

The chat drifts back to Newcastle. ‘You know, we should be up there, playing in the big matches, against the top players. It’s unimaginable that Newcastle might drop out of the top league.

‘Look at the squad: Joey Barton, Kevin Nolan, Alan Smith, Damien Duff in midfield. Then the forwards: Obafemi Martins, Mark Viduka, young Andy Carroll. And Michael Owen can make himself a little hero here — he just needs to find his touch, get into the box, find his confidence.

‘In a perfect world, the gaffer would pull on a pair of boots himself and keep us up. He could do it, you know. I was watching him in the gym the other day, he’s still a fit, strong boy.

‘He impresses me, he always did as a player. Now he’s the gaffer and is working every hour, staying late, desperate to find a solution. I think he will stay beyond this season, because it will grip hold of him. It might have happened already. I hope he stays. This club, this city, it needs Alan Shearer. Redevelopment is strong here, the place is buzzing, we just need the team right.

‘I don’t know why Newcastle isn’t right. It has to be. Maybe Freddy Shepherd might come back in, that would be good. I do know that it’s right to have a Geordie manager of a Geordie club. We should promote young English managers more in our country.

‘You have to spend time here to understand the mentality of the place. When I go to the ground, before a match, I become anxious, excited. When I’m at home. I can hear the roar from miles away. Alan will give people more to cheer about here. He has to stay on.’

Gazza, who turns 42 this month, has fond memories of his brief time at the club.‘I would have stayed, but they sold Chris Waddle and Peter Beardsley, two world-class players, so I went too.’

In those days, the first-team squad would share a bottle of Harvey’s Bristol Cream sherry in the dressing room after a game and, in a matter presumably unconnected, Gazza once drove a tractor into the wall of the dressing room at the training ground.

He also remembers crashing Mirandinha’s new club car and teaching the Brazilian his version of English. ‘I can’t tell you how I translated “I want ice cream”. Wednesday was w***day. So when he used to say, “I like w***day”, it was the funniest thing.’

It’s good to see him laughing and telling the old stories. He’s in top form, apparently in control — he even turned up 30 minutes early for our meeting — holding a man-bag and looking well groomed.

And he’s not afraid to talk about his demons. ‘It’s scary where I’ve been, man. I’m telling you. I was sectioned because I was either a threat to the public, or to myself. Or maybe both! I’d had enough of life, the world had ended for me.

‘I wasn’t in control. The more I tried, the worse it got. I was paranoid and I’d drink to see if I became less paranoid. I’ve learned I can’t change what I can’t control. I can’t turn back the clock and make it better. I can’t make the day perfect, but if I can improve it by two per cent, it’s better than minus two per cent.

‘If I’m having a bad day, I write notes about football strategy, or my poetry. I want to show I still have something to offer to football. I will finish my coaching badges, look to people like Alan Shearer as an inspiration and wait and see. Who
knows? Football might not have seen the last of Paul Gascoigne.’

The fog on the Tyne is lifting. Now all they need is for the football team to start winning.

Q: Favourite (current) player?

A: Wayne Rooney. I watch him develop, admire his versatility and his skill and thank (God) that he is English. What a player … he should smile more and realise how much he has going for him. Cheer up, lad; his pretty wife, his bairn on the way and playing for a great club. I hope he isn’t too old before his time.

Q: Which team would you like to play for now?

A: Hard question. I’d like to play with Steven Gerrard at Liverpool and ease the pressure on him to be the match-winner each week. He looks too anxious at times, but what a player! I’d like to help Frank Lampard for the same reason. Fabregas can really play and he’s hard too. Can I say all three?

Q: Favourite (all time) player?

A: Bryan Robson. That bloke was everywhere. I’ve seen videos of him when he was at West Brom with his curly Afro hair. I admire how he came back from so many injuries. He was a true Captain Marvel. I loved him.

Q: Best goal?

A: Against Scotland. Every time I see Colin Hendry now he says: “Just don’t say it, Gazza!” He’s still in the same place at the old Wembley, you know. I turned him inside out so many times, he turned into the ground. Go visit him there. I was playing in Scotland for Rangers, I loved the place … and then I scored that goal!

Q: Funniest memory?

A: Abel Xavier used to try and pull birds and fail, because nobody would know who he was. Then he would say: “I’m a friend of Paul Gascoigne’s”… and come back with their number! It makes me laugh that one.

Q Best time?

A: The season after the World Cup, with Tottenham. Everything went right. It was a magical time. On the pitch, I could do no wrong. I left clubs at the wrong time. I shouldn’t have left Tottenham, I shouldn’t have left Rangers when I did and then I should have stayed at Everton when David Moyes took over, instead of leaving when Walter Smith left. Who knows what might have happened to me if I could have worked with David Moyes? I might still be there now.
DM

Den Link hast du irgendwie vertauscht:D
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvs…s-Gazza-pulled-brink.html

Fotos:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix…7000005DC-593_468x473.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix…B000005DC-939_148x233.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix…9000005DC-739_148x233.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix…2000005DC-703_148x233.jpg

Oh. I)

Rino Gattuso: I used to take potshots at picture of Queen in Rangers dressing room

FORMER Rangers star Rino Gattuso used to kick footballs at a picture of the Queen in the Ibrox dressing room, he has revealed.

The midfielder has also said he told Sean Connery to "mind his own business" when the Bond actor tried to convince him not to leave the club.

The revelations came during an interview on Italian TV on Friday.

He told how he and fellow Gers star Paul Gascoigne started booting balls at the Queen after he was told to take off his crucifix.

Gattuso, a Catholic, said: "Everyone used to tell me to take off my crucifix in the dressing room.

"So I used to kick balls at the photo of the Queen. My tutor there was Paul Gascoigne."

He also revealed how he told Connery, a close friend of Rangers owner David Murray, to get lost.

The player said: "When I decided to leave the club, Sean Connery tried to oppose it - but I told him to mind his own bloody business."

Italian international Gattuso played for the SPL side during the 1997-98 season.

After leaving Rangers, he joined Italian Serie B side Salernitana, before moving to current side AC Milan in 1999.

The 31-year old is currently recovering from a knee injury.

[dailyrecord]

Gazza puts on show for Darlo fans

Former England star Paul Gascoigne made a return to football on Sunday in a charity match for cash-strapped League Two outfit Darlington.

The former Tottenham, Newcastle and Lazio midfielder pulled on his boots in a charity match at the Darlington Arena and more than 3,000 fans turned up to see him lead an 'All Stars' side, also featuring former Darlington stars Marco Gabbiadini and Bernie Slaven.

Gascoigne captained his side to a 5-3 victory against the most successful side in the Quakers' recent history, the 1999 play-off final team.

The midfielder, who made his last professional appearance in 2004, seemed to have put his much-publicised personal problems behind him.

Looking fit and happy, he played for almost an hour, and scored his team's second goal with a decisive strike from the penalty box.

The fallen star has undergone treatment for alcoholism, bulimia and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Last year he was sectioned under the Mental Health Act following an incident in Newcastle.

Speaking after the match, Gascoigne said he had enjoyed the game, but admitted he would spend "the rest of his life" trying to recover from his problems.

"I haven't played for about three-and-a-half years now, but I turned out because it's a good cause," he said. "Darlington Football Club are a North-East team and it means a lot to me. Darlington is a big club, and they don't deserve what has happened to them. They deserve better than that. It's great to be here, and it is good for me as well.

"My problems are never going to be behind me. Every street corner has a pub on it; there are drugs on every street corner. Booze is everywhere.

"But at the moment I don't want to take the booze and I don't want to be using again. I'm going to be recovering for the rest of my life, but I am sober when I am happy."

The match was the brainchild of recently departed Darlington manager Dave Penney and assistant manager Martin Gray.

The club, who were docked 10 points after entering administration, have until May 5 to find a buyer, but so far no one has come forward.

After the match Gray said it had "been a great day" and said he hoped enough money had been raised to rescue the 126 year-old club from extinction.

"Today has been the equivalent to two or three home games, attendance-wise, so that has given us a lot of support," he said.

"The future of this club is so important, it is important that this football club survives. This game is everything."

Gray also paid tribute to Gascoigne, saying the star was "on the road to recovery".

"He has the biggest name from football in the country," he said. "Everybody knows something about Paul Gascoigne.

"For us to attract him is the biggest plug we could have achieved. He is the biggest ex player in the country.

"He is on the road to recovery and it was time he put his boots on again."

[teamtalk]

Gazza back on the pitch (video)
http://images.teamtalk.com/09/…ty-match-2009_2257825.jpg

Schön zu sehen!

Da hat jeder lange drauf gewartet. Man kann nur hoffen, dass er so stark bleibt

Paul John Gascoigne * 27. Mai 1967

Happy Birthday

Oh, Gazza wird 42. Hoffentlich mal ein Geburtstag mit viel Freude bei ihm!! Allerdings war sein Sonntag ja sehr wechselhaft. Erst wir Meister und dann Newcastle runter. Aber solange seine Gesundheit stimmt ist alles andere zweitrangig.

Happy Birthday Gazza und lass es ruhig angehen!!!

Hat einer das Gequatsche von DeBoer bei Skysports gehört.....?

Nein, was hat er denn gesagt?

Er hat nur unter der Woche schon ein sehr kritisches Urteil über den schottischen Fußball abgegeben. Hat er sicher auch nicht Unrecht, aber ein bisschen muss er schon der Realität ins Auge sehen. Man hat eben nicht das Geld in Schottland. Ich meine, ich werfe dem holländischen Fußball ja auch nicht vor das ein Messi in Barcelona und nicht in Groningen spielt.

Ach, er meinte, dass vom aktuellen Rangers-Kader es nur Barry in Bestform und eventuell Bougherra (der musste sogar nach dem Namen fragen) in die Mannschaft geschafft hätten, in der er damals bei uns gespielt hat. Als Gründe für seinen Wechsel nannte er hauptsächlich Geld, und die Möglichkeit mit dem Team etwas erreichen zu können....der hat garnicht mehr aufgehört zu kritisieren.....und wie der das gesagt hat...als könnte man es nicht nachvollziehen, dass in SCO keine "Topstars" spielen. Die Gründe sind so offensichtlich, und liegen bestimmt nicht an den Vereinen.....

Barry wurde auch interviewt. Ich sage, er wird gehen. Der Reporter hat ihn regelrecht zu ´ner Aussage gedrängt, aber von Barry kam weder was in die eine, noch in die andere Richtung....aber ich denke das wars...irgendwie war seine Körpersprache so. .Er wollte seine (letzte) Feier genießen.....

Ja, de Boer hat das schon unter der Woche gefaselt. Wie gesagt ja richtig, dass das Leistungsniveau nicht mehr so hoch ist, aber die Spieler heute kosten uns maximal noch £3m und nicht wie früher £12m. Wenn er die Zeichen der Zeit nicht erkannt hat, tut es mir leid für ihn. Ins Fernsehen kann er auch kommen wenn er nackt übern Marktplatz in Amsterdam rennt. Dazu braucht es das nicht.

Oh Barry Barry... Wir haben das Double!! Ich hoffe Walter hat heute diesen Ritt auf der Rasierklinge deshalb gewagt, weil er Spielern wie eben Barry, Lee (der ja ein super Kerl ist) und Dailly den Abschied gönnen wollte, den sie ja auch verdienen. Sind ja alles gute Jungs und Barry gar ein Hall of Fame-Bear. Aber sie gehören zu dem toten Holz von dem Bain sprach. Und das muss vor Boyd, Mendes & Co verkauft werden. Ich hoffe sie haben es erkannt, allein es fehlt mir noch ein wenig der Glaube. Das wird ein heißer Sommer (nicht nur für Boyd, die faule Sau ). Am Ende müssen die Spieler verkauft werden, die nicht zur Rangers-Zukunft gehören. Es liegt an Walter, Bain & Co. das zu schaffen. Sonst sollten sie das Zepter besser weiterreichen.