Jump to content

Paul Gascoigne


Si.

Recommended Posts

Unbelievable though some people may find this, back in the Gazza era the top few clubs didn't have the monopoly on the best players that they do these days...

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's just made me read the Euro 96 wiki. It still makes me a bit sad.

 

I was 9 at the time and it's the first tournament I remember England playing in. I missed the semi-final against Germany because our class was at some kind of dance thing at school that we couldn't get out of, I was gutted. I got home to watch the last 20 minutes and penalties.

 

My dad couldn't come to watch me because he was ill and I've only just worked out that was probably a lie.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is easy to forget what a big part Gascoigne played in rehabilitating English football after it had become a pariah in the post-Heysel era, when English clubs were banned indefinitely from European competitions.

 

These days and for very good reason, people are cynical about football; back then, after the manslaughter at Heysel, the response was nausea and revulsion.

 

So when the man-child Gascoigne turned up at the 1990 World Cup, and wowed the world with his exuberant style and then created one of the most enduring icons in world football, he rehabilitated the image of English football both at home and across the world. 

 

Regrettably he turned his iconic moment and himself into a commodity and most of his troubles seem to follow from there.

 

It is definitely annoying that footballers live off their glory-days for far too long and their bludging years can go on for decades, but I think in the case Gascoigne, he probably deserves it.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Classic goal and we really were the best team in that tournament. The 4-1 against the Dutch was one of our finest ever performances, 

 

won 2 games out of 5 and Spain were robbed in quarters. Germany won 4 so fair to say they were best team in the tournament and had a much tougher draw

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You can look at the stats Zatman but having watched the competition that was the best England team under Venables since 66 or 70. The way they blew away a star-studded Dutch side was brilliant. yes the Spain game they didn't play well but we were the better team against Germany. 

Edited by PaulC
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was a Dutch team in the middle of a war between the camp over money and some say racial tensions

 

Spain had a goal disallowed for nothing and Spain should have had a penalty

Edited by Zatman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

We should have won that tournament.

 

That and Euro 2004.

 

We certainly were good enough and the fact that we didn't prompts all those doubts about the mental weakness of our players, and why. 

 

 

 

Nah, we just had a truly inept manager in Sven.

 

 

..and if not for the length of a stud against Germany.... :unsure:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

We should have won that tournament.

 

That and Euro 2004.

 

We certainly were good enough and the fact that we didn't prompts all those doubts about the mental weakness of our players, and why. 

 

 

 

Nah, we just had a truly inept manager in Sven.

 

 

..and if not for the length of a stud against Germany.... :unsure:

 

 

Win % for England's better managers:

 

Ramsey 61

Greenwood 60

Hoddle  60

SGE 60

Capello 67

Hodgson 56

 

Every one was condemned as not good enough and every one was replaced with someone who did worse, except Hodgson, obviously.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We should have won that tournament.

That and Euro 2004.

We certainly were good enough and the fact that we didn't prompts all those doubts about the mental weakness of our players, and why.

I've always said if Rooney didn't get injured in that Portugal game, we'd have won 2004. He was absolutely flying. Probably a more rounded footballer now, but as an 18-year-old he was so cocky and knew he could score against anyone.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

We should have won that tournament.

That and Euro 2004.

We certainly were good enough and the fact that we didn't prompts all those doubts about the mental weakness of our players, and why.

I've always said if Rooney didn't get injured in that Portugal game, we'd have won 2004. He was absolutely flying. Probably a more rounded footballer now, but as an 18-year-old he was so cocky and knew he could score against anyone.

 

I think we arguably could have won it anyway.

 

After beating us Portugal had a fairly comfortable win against the dutch and then Greece in the final which they bottled (Greece did well but Portugal should still have beaten them)

 

If we'd won that shoot out I think there's a good chance we'd have won it even without Rooney. But you're right, with him I think it's pretty likely. it wasn't just his ability, it was the fact that the world didn't know much about him yet.

 

And to think, I was advocating not starting him before that tournament!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...
Â