Former football superstar Gascoigne, who is considered one of England’s most talented footballers, has not been able to kick his alcohol addiction despite all his efforts.
In an interview with “High Performance” magazine, Gascoigne said that he is homeless and lives with his manager Kathy Davis, according to “The Guardian”.
“I used to be a happy alcoholic, but now I’m not. Now I’m a sad alcoholic. I don’t go out to drink, I drink in my room,” said the footballer who won English hearts in the 1990 World Cup.
For many years, Gascoigne was only portrayed in a negative way in the media. He spent years looking for a solution to his alcohol problem, but without success. In a detailed interview, he also recalled his best times for England and regretted not being able to play 100 matches for the national team. He has 57 matches for England in which the attacking midfielder scored ten goals.
Gascoigne had a long struggle with alcohol addiction and there were periods when he didn’t look at a bottle for years. But now he has started drinking again.
Gascoigne, who spent most of his English career playing for Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, retired in 2004 at the age of 37. He admits that he rarely watches football, but he misses it.
“If I want to make the day worse, I just go to the pub. If I want to make the day better, I take a line and go fishing,” said Gascoigne, who does not give up and believes that things can get better again. “I’ll never give up. If that happens, I’ll be in a coffin. But until then, I’ll keep fighting.”
However, Gascoigne admitted that he does not despair now, but that he has other vices. He drinks a lot of coffee, sometimes manages to drink six cups by ten in the morning. Chocolate is also among his weaknesses, he can eat it in crazy amounts.
At the same time, he admitted that temptations are always literally behind the door. His manager, Davies, told him that bottles of gin were being left on her doorstep to trick Gascoigne – a ruse used to photograph the football legend.
