Gazza | Vital Football

Gazza

SKEGGY

Bringer Of The Seasons
We're all aware of his much reported problems but do you feel sorrow or apathy?
 
It is shame for anyone having their lives ruined by addictions.

However, I'd take an addiction over my brain disease any day of the week, most cancer / other disease sufferers I'm sure would say the same.

You have a fighting chance if strong enough to battle addictions, you don't get the choice with diseases.
 
Bit of both for me . Clearly not the brightest but has been ripped off and manipulated by the hangers on who quickly realised they could take advantage of him.

No excuse for his wife beating exploits or some of his other misdemeanors but fair play to Lineker ,Evans & co who are trying to get him sorted out.
 
I don't really get the big love-in with Gazza.

For me he was just an over-rated player who through his career down the toilet.

I do feel sorry for him though. It's not nice to watch anyone, famous or not, slowly killing themselves. He does have an amazing amount of contacts and help available to him thugh so he stands more than a fighting chance of beating the addiction if he wants to. Not sure there are any excuses to be honest.

There's obviously some over-riding mental health issue with Gazza. He was never the full shilling even when he was at his happiest and most normal.

Hope he can turn his life around, but wouldn't exactly be crying in the streets if he did drink himself to death either.
 
I'm with sirdennis on this one.

At first, when his playing days were coming to an end, it was apathy, but I don't know. Have people stood idly by and allow this to get worse? I must admit, I do feel sorry for him now..... he looks in a right old sorry state.
 
I feel sorry for the bloke even if it is mostly self-inflicted. It's hard for any of us to know how we would have acted as young lads with all that wealth thrust upon us.


 
Well,a couple of his mates - Chris Evans and Ronni Irani have put him on a plane to the States so he can have treatment at a specialist centre.....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/9848784/Paul-Gascoigne-flies-to-US-for-rehabilitation-as-friends-Chris-Evans-and-Ronnie-Irani-help-troubled-star.html

Hope it's successful.

 
SKEGGY - 5/2/2013 15:45

Isn't alcohol addiction a type of disease though, Feario?

No.

Next question!

Addictions aren't nice, not making light of them, however - and I am sure you, Jonah and many more in here - would love to be told I'd we stopped something (no matter how difficult) we would get better.

Nothing in this world I wouldn't do to help myself, god knows I've tried loads of things.

Someone like Gazza comes over as a bit weak and needy to me. Horrible to see how he has gone downhill but even when playing he was a disaster more often than not. Seemed to go from crisis to crisis.

Still wish him and anyone else well obviously.
 
His family and "friends" took and took and took from him and then walked away when the wheels fell off. I feel most for his son and step son, who apparently still idolises him. As for his ex wife and step daughter they are nothing but leeches
 
always find it people are bit ... weird when it comes to treating alcoholics, i mean cases in point gazza, god and no doubt other irish centre half lol, is the fact that most people still worship them, even though they have the best help around available

yet, see a old bloke in the park grasping a special brew, and watch the abuse get thrown at him ...

especially when people dont know the old bloke in the parks history, could of been a waster, or a won a few medals in a couple of wars, yet the man who had everything, battered a bint gets applauded ....
 
badge73 - 5/2/2013 17:02

always find it people are bit ... weird when it comes to treating alcoholics, i mean cases in point gazza, god and no doubt other irish centre half lol, is the fact that most people still worship them, even though they have the best help around available

yet, see a old bloke in the park grasping a special brew, and watch the abuse get thrown at him ...

especially when people dont know the old bloke in the parks history, could of been a waster, or a won a few medals in a couple of wars, yet the man who had everything, battered a bint gets applauded ....



:1: :1: :1: Exactly Badge.

Though you may say it is not a disease JF, it is a disease in the medical profession/science.

It is classed as a diagnosed disease within the mental health umbrella.

It is not a choice of life.

I do understand where you come from though that people do have an option to get into recovery and live in recovery. The very nature of the illness is so many don't. Stats are 1 in 35 will get into long term recovery.

Gazza is 1 of those whose is following the same path as George Best. I personally have no time for Gazza which might surprise you but I don't.

The 1 thing I have learnt over the years about this illness for my own survival has been how to detach from it:

I work with it, serve with it and it's rare anything can touch me with it emotionally. I remember my first death from this disease of a good friend. I was devastated. Not 1 since that has touched me like that 1 who has died of it

The disease is of the mind first and the body second

 
I don't know about his ex and step daughter being leeches and why you think that Skeggy but I can say that they all inc the ex have been affected by his illness
 
Without doubt the most naturally gifted English footballer of his era, and most entertaining, crowd pleasing player I ever saw. Add into this that I am convinced he has a good heart, and a weak brain. He chose the wrong woman and didn't get the support he needed from an ill prepared family or circle of friends. A woman wh followed him to rehab with a film crew, a step daughter who uses his name in search for fame, a best mate who brought alcohol to his hotel suite when he was at his lowest. Too much love clouding judgement in that case perhaps?

Had he signed for united, under fergie when he signed for spurs I think it would have been very different for him. But hindsight is irrelevant.

I really hope he gets better.
 
People don't choose to have brain issues, cancer, etc, but people choose to drink and/or do drugs. Unless all alcoholics and drug addicts are forced to try alcohol and drugs with a gun pointed to their heads.

I am aware that is an extreme point of view, but you can't stop having cancer because you want to. You can stop drinking/doing drugs if you really, really want to. Yes, it will most likely involve rehab of some sort but you are in control of your own destiny, cancer patients (etc) are not. That is a BIG difference.
 
The fella in the thread titled 'Hatchet Wielding Hippy Hero Saves Town From 300lb Psychopathic ‘Jesus’' stops the interview right at the start and makes a statement.

It's worth watching that and relating it to not jut gazza, but like badger says: all the drunks and anyone with addictions, illness and/or troubles. Be they self inflicted or through no fault of the afflicted.
 
yeah, more fun doing it to yourself with drink and drugs, at least you have some good times along the way.

I'd take that (and often did!) over my brain disease which just fucked up my life over night.

But same as most Jim, of course we wish the sloshed well as well as the sober.

I wish nothing but good to most people really, just wish some would help themselves also.
 
SiggyBrownie - 6/2/2013 15:18

People don't choose to have brain issues, cancer, etc, but people choose to drink and/or do drugs. Unless all alcoholics and drug addicts are forced to try alcohol and drugs with a gun pointed to their heads.

I am aware that is an extreme point of view, but you can't stop having cancer because you want to. You can stop drinking/doing drugs if you really, really want to. Yes, it will most likely involve rehab of some sort but you are in control of your own destiny, cancer patients (etc) are not. That is a BIG difference.

It's kinda hard to explain unless you have been there.

However I will say that I once said to be a sponsee I was dropping that people with cancer etc. would be happy to go 2-3 meetings a week do service etc if it meant them having a life free of cancer and living to a decent age. I also said it was fine if she wanted to mess around with her life/illness and how she did or didn't do recovery as it was her journey however I wasn't going along for the ride with her. She didn't like that. Shrugs shoulders..

I know the work I had and still do put into the fellowship of A.A. I have worked my backside off to get well, therapy, steps etc as there was far more to sort out than I knew at the beginning. I did it because I didn't want anymore. I expect anyone I help to want it. If they want to f about they can go else where.

My time is precious and can be given to me, my family others who want it and other support work I do.

Not everyone is going to get it. I understand why that peeves alot off. It does me at times a bit cos of my other separate medical health problems I haven't a say in.

I do know though I still need to see the newcomer coming in and remember what it is like early days which is part of how our fellowship carries on and how we remember what it was like back then.


Putting the drink down was the easy part for me. I was only borderline and hadn't gone that far. It was learning to live a life without drink that was hard as I had used it as a solution and coping mechanism for 3 short years only and I was an evening drinker but that was enough for me
 
I have people in my extended family that are addicts and use it as an excuse to not take care of themselves and act like adults.

They are addicts when it is beneficial for them and get their shit together when it is beneficial for them as well. The worst thing is they know exactly what they are doing and don't care that they are tearing their family apart. They believe they deserve the attention. There are only so many times you can cry wolf before people stop paying attention.

I don't think we are ever going to agree on this subject and that is ok. We have different experiences with addiction. I quit smoking recently and it was hard but I did it because I wanted to have a better/healthier life.

I have a hard time with people who will not help themselves.