Paul Gascoigne: Playing for England has to hurt inside, it has to mean something… the friendly against Ireland was horrific

Paul Gascoigne, who won 57 caps for his country, hits out at England’s shocking display last weekend
Gascoigne says ‘there is no better feeling than playing for your country’ after an iconic career
Despite battles with alcohol, Gazza is currently healthy and involved in a new documentary about his career
‘Gascoigne’ premiered in London on Monday night, and is out on DVD from next Monday

Published:
21:30 GMT, 8 June 2015

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Updated:
00:07 GMT, 9 June 2015

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Paul Gascoigne counts himself lucky that he was out with his family in London when England were playing out that desperate 0-0 draw with the Republic of Ireland on Sunday.

‘F****** hell, horrific,’ was Gascoigne’s response when the England legend admitted he had forced himself through the highlights in his hotel room later that evening.

It was then he realised that the tape had started and the clock was already ticking on an interview to discuss his documentary, Gascoigne, which was released on Monday.

Paul Gascoigne laughs as he talks about his England career ahead of the release of a new documentary about his career

The former England midfielder emphasised the passion he had for the game when he pulled on the shirt for his country

Gascoigne hit out at the performance put in by the current crop of England players when they drew 0-0 with the Republic of Ireland

He needn’t have worried, because everyone who had the misfortune to watch that excruciating draw in Dublin felt the same. Where was the intensity? Where was the conviction? Where were the characters in this England team? Nowhere, it has to be said.

‘The fans used to come a long way to watch and my priority was to entertain,’ he added. ‘There could be 40,000 people giving me stick and then one thing, just one thing would make them go home happy.’

Gascoigne, who earned 57 caps for his country, did not see anything on the Aviva Stadium pitch on a sleepy Sunday afternoon to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. At this point he took his audience on a journey to the 1990 World Cup, starting with stories of Terry Butcher’s blood-soaked shirt during a 0-0 draw in Sweden during the qualifying campaign.

‘It has to hurt inside, it has to mean something,’ added Gascoigne. ‘Look at Terry Butcher in 1989 — I was sat in the dressing room next to the treatment room. There was blood everywhere and I saw Terry getting bandaged.

‘Bobby Robson got me by the scruff of the neck and said, “Gazza, you want to play for your country, son, that’s what you’ve got to be prepared to do, put your head in places where people wouldn’t put their feet”.

‘There was blood everywhere. Then he told me to get out.’

Gascoigne, 48, comes alive when he talks about the national team, bursting with enthusiasm as he recalls his dazzling, driving runs from the centre of midfield.

The former Tottenham and Lazio midfielder was the nation’s darling, ‘daft as a brush’ according to the late, great Sir Bobby after his breakthrough with the senior side. He was also a magician with the ball at his feet. Gascoigne knew he was good, shielding the ball from the opposition and only sliding it through for Gary Lineker or Peter Beardsley to run on to when he felt the time was right.

‘I’m not hanging on to it, my history is there,’ he added. ‘I know how good I was. There is no better feeling than playing for your country because everyone is watching.

‘People ask about motivation with England — I would be in the dressing room with Butcher and Bryan Robson and they would be screaming, “Nobody comes into my house and takes anything”. I loved England.

‘When I made it into the full squad (v Denmark in 1989), Bobby Robson said to me, “Have you got your white shirt for your suit?” and I said, “Yeah, have you got the white shirt for me?”. I used to see that No 8 hanging in the dressing room and it’s a great feeling.’

The England team have fallen flat again and they have much to prove. Gascoigne likes the look of Jack Wilshere, even though he is knocked sideways by comparisons with the 23-year-old Arsenal midfielder.

‘I look at Jack Wilshere, he’s just won the FA Cup, he’s had a drink and getting stick — five days later he’s the best player since sliced bread,’ added Gascoigne.

‘It’s a shame the season has ended because he’s had a few months out. He’s nothing like me, definitely not — maybe he’s better.’

Wilshere is feeling his way back after an injury that disrupted his season but is one of the brighter talents in the team as England prepare to travel to Slovenia for a Euro 2016 qualifier on Sunday. Everyone is waiting for Roy Hodgson’s next move now.

‘There is no problem, we are just not good enough,’ added Gascoigne. ‘It’s no use playing 40-odd players in five games. Germany had to wait four years for their players, they kept the same team and now look how strong they are.

Gascoigne waves to fans as he arrives at the premiere of the documentary which tells his story in the former player’s own words

The 48-year-old leaves London’s plush Langham Hotel (right) while the film’s director Jane Preston gives the thumbs up at the premiere

‘With Bobby Robson you knew that if you played badly for your club but did well for your country then you would play the next game for England. He would keep the same team.’

WHAT A TURN-OFF

2.3 million watched England’s 0-0 draw with the Republic of Ireland on ITV — less than half of the 5.3m who watched the Barcelona v Juventus Champions League final on the same channel .

Roy Hodgson made six changes to the side who started the 1-1 draw with Italy in March, changing the focus of the team for their first visit to Dublin since 1995. The England boss criticised his players afterwards and reminded Raheem Sterling that football at international level demands a tough mentality.

‘I didn’t need someone from the papers who has never kicked a ball in their life to tell me how good I was,’ Gascoigne added. ‘My manager would tell me if I had a bad game.’

It is with some regret that he tells a sad story about giving one of his match-worn England shirts to a former agent as a gift. ‘Sold it for personal gain,’ he added.

Gascoigne smiles for the camera with his family ahead of the first showing of his new documentary on Monday night

‘It has to hurt inside, it has to mean something,’ says Gascoigne of playing for England. He cried after being booked during Italia 90 (right)

Gascoigne hugs Sir Bobby Robson, the England manager who once described him as ‘daft as a brush’, and who gave him his debut

‘There could be 40,000 people giving me stick and then one thing, just one thing would make them go home happy,’ says Gascoigne

This takes us to the other side of Gascoigne’s life, where depression, drugs and an alcohol addiction have provided a constant struggle.

On Monday, in a suite at the Langham Hotel in London’s posh West End, he was coherent and good company as he reflected on a life in football. For all his past problems he looked remarkably well. As ever, you never quite know how long the glow around Gascoigne will last.

He can barely finish a sentence without criticising the media, in particular newspapers, for the constant intrusion and stories about his life that he insists are ‘lies’.

Recently he was paid £188,250 in damages from Mirror Group Newspapers after they admitted hacking his mobile phone.

‘My phone was hacked and I still get harassed,’ he added. ‘When you have no-one to turn to, you turn to drink. Two-and-a-half years ago was the last time I was in rehab and I was in a really bad way. Then someone got hold of my bank details and stole a lot of money from me.

When talking to Sportsmail’s Neil Ashton, Gascoigne could barely finish a sentence without criticising the media

Gascoigne was full of praise for Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, but he played down comparisons between the two players

‘People said I fell out with my family when I didn’t. It was a case of having no life, I thought the answer was at the bottom of a bottle.’

He insists he has not had a drink for ‘a couple of months’, keeping it clean as he attempts to restore some order again in his chaotic life. Gascoigne knows it will not be easy.

This documentary is an interesting recap of his life in football, a reminder that he was once regarded as one of the biggest talents in the game.

‘I enjoyed doing it,’ he added. ‘It gave me a chance to tell my story in a way I wanted it to be told.’

Gascoigne is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Monday, June 15.